


Unexpected

by isthatalittlebowtie (froggydarren)



Category: Glee
Genre: BadBoy!Blaine, D/s, GKM prompt fill, M/M, On Hiatus, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2014-05-02
Packaged: 2017-12-30 21:05:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 39
Words: 89,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1023370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froggydarren/pseuds/isthatalittlebowtie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Based on a <a href="http://glee-kink-meme.livejournal.com/43590.html?thread=59381062#t59381062">GKM prompt</a>, this fic is my birthday present to <a href="http://averycrisscolferstory.tumblr.com">Daph</a>, so I'm hoping it'll live up to expectations ;) </em>
  <br/>
  <em>
    <br/>
    <b>Summary:</b>
    <br/>
  </em>
  <br/>
  <em>Blaine has stumbled into a reputation of being a Bad Boy. In a world where soulmates are bonded in Dominant/submissive relationships and it only takes one command, he's watching his words carefully. Not that McKinley has guys he would be interested in, but everyone assumes him to be a Dom and the last thing he wants is to bond with someone and out them in the process. That is, until there's a new transfer and his world turns upside down.</em>
  <br/>
  <b>Warnings/Rating:</b>
  <br/>
  <em>Dominant/submissive relationship, NC-17 in later chapters, mentions of homophobia and bullying. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Beta'ed by the ever-lovely and amazing <a href="http://gnomerino.tumblr.com">Nomi</a><br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Intro

The football field is eerily quiet that time of the morning and Blaine revels in it. No frat boy wannabes to throw meaningless insults at him, no cheerleaders trying to get cool points by attempting to flirt with him, none of the Skanks hanging around eyeing him like he’s encroaching on their territory. It’s not that different to the rest of the day when no one talks to him, anyway, but the emptiness of the space allows him to let go of the tough façade a little. It’s become a second skin to him, like the leather jacket and the cliché ripped jeans tucked into his biker boots.

He’d only started wearing them because of his bike and the necessary safety, but the first time he rolled up to the school on it, people assumed. It wasn’t hard to let them, it gave him security and less hassle with the bullying idiots who left him alone from the moment it became common knowledge that he was boxing in his spare time. Thanks to one well-aimed hit he landed in Karofsky’s face, Blaine became untouchable.

“Hey, Anderson!”

The voice makes him whip his head around in the direction of the parking lot. Puck is standing by his car, obviously expecting Blaine to come running, which he’s never done before, but there are things that Puck will never learn. He gets slowly up off the seats he was stretching out on and heads to Puck, smirking when his friend’s impatience starts showing.

“You called?” sarcasm is dripping from Blaine’s voice.

“Fuck you, that took forever,” Puck growls, “There’s a new kid starting today.”

“And I care, why exactly?”

“Thought we’d give him the McKinley welcome,” Puck says, hitting yet another thing that he should already know the answer to.

“You know I don’t do the childish bullying bullshit,” Blaine sighs, rolling his eyes.

“He’s a Dom, apparently,” Puck continues like Blaine hasn’t said a word, “from that preppy school your Dad threatened to send you to.”

Blaine frowns at the mention of the _conversation_ he had with his father after the punch in Karofsky’s face. _Though_ , Blaine thinks, _conversation isn’t what I’d call it_. His father yelled, doors were slammed and heated words exchanged until Blaine put his foot down that he wasn’t going to attend an uppity Dom school. It was only when his mother stepped in and defended McKinley’s changes in their Dom and sub program that his father relented. Blaine guessed that the real reason to give up was that unlike at Dalton, where he was supposed to be sent, McKinley at least had girls. Girls that Blaine was in no way interested in but his father hoped would “straighten him out”. At least at the time it had been the reason, that particular debate long gone when Blaine didn’t, obviously, stop being gay, though not that many people knew.

“So what? You feel threatened that he’s going to go after Berry?” Blaine smirks, knowing Puck’s fondness for the glee club singer, “or maybe Quinny?”

“Shut up.” Puck’s fists clench, “And either way, no, saw him at registration a few days ago, I think Evans should be more worried about his ass.”

“He’s gay?” Blaine lets his guard down for a moment, but quickly recovers, “Kid’s gonna have it rough if he’s open about it and obvious enough that _you_ noticed.”

“I knew about you before you told anyone, despite your bike and jacket and shit,” Puck tries to defend himself.

“Yeah, because the photos in my locker being all guys wasn’t a dead giveaway,” Blaine says lightly.

He’s comfortable making these comments to Puck now, since Puck has decided that being friends with Blaine trumped being an asshole about his orientation.

“Or the fact that you caught me ogling the football players instead of the cheerleaders,” he adds.

It was an unsurprisingly short process then, with Puck finding out Blaine was gay, then coming to the conclusion that it meant one less guy competing for the girls in school. To Blaine’s amazement, Puck didn’t tell anyone either, since they quickly bonded over other things and friendship yet again trumped being an asshole about things. It was, in fact, Puck who held Karofsky when Blaine swung at him, a move well practiced from boxing sessions that they spent their afternoons with. As Puck later remarked, Dave was no more trouble to hold in place than Blaine’s usual bag of sand.

“Seriously, man, what if a little sub is around the school somewhere and you two will end up competing for him? You should show the new kid who has dibs on anyone like that.”

“First,” Blaine sighs, “if anyone _was_ gay in this school, you’d better believe we’d already know it.”

“Fair point, though there could be newcomers; we still have almost two years in this place.”

“If you’re lucky and graduate,” Blaine chuckles. “But second, just because this new kid was at Dalton, it doesn’t mean he’s a Dom. I’ve heard of some guys who started there but had to leave because they turned out to be subs.”

“That would mean he’s found his soulmate and he wouldn’t be coming here alone,” Puck counters.

There is logic to the argument, which makes Blaine think for a while. People usually don’t leave the sanctuary of Dalton without a very good reason, one of them being that they bond with a soulmate and turn out to be subs, in which case they follow their Dom to whichever other school the Dom is attending. If someone leaves Dalton without that reason, it’s something else, mostly something financial or family related, but they are very rare. Blaine knows of more cases than others, since his brother attended Dalton a few years ago, so he has an extra four years of knowledge.

“We’ll probably find out soon enough; you know the rumor mill,” Blaine glances to the rest of the parking lot that’s starting to fill, “will take care of that fast.”

“Come on, then.” Puck pushes himself off the side of the bleachers. “Time to get yet another detention.”

“Have fun with that; I’ll try and keep my sheet clean for as long as I can,” Blaine replies as they make their way to the school doors.


	2. Just One

The day drags on as usual, and Blaine manages to avoid, or, rather, be avoided by everyone, including Puck, who’s on a mission to check the new kid out. Occasionally, they catch each other’s eye across a classroom or hall, and Puck actually _winks_ at Blaine once, earning himself a glare. It does make Blaine think though, wonder about the reasons the new guy transferred, about the possibility of someone in the school who he could maybe talk to. As much as he isn’t openly gay, he can’t help but think that it would be nice to not be alone. Because there’s no way he’s counting Santana, who’s out but also doesn’t like him much, so they are anything but friends.

It also crosses his mind that maybe the guy has left Dalton because he’s a sub, and that opens the possibility of him being Blaine’s soulmate. He’s gone through the classes like everyone else, he knows there’s no determining when he’ll find his match but that it takes one command, just one word from the Dom to the sub for soulmates to bond. He saw people accidentally throwing an offhand command to someone and ending up bonded. It made him conscious of how he words things, even though he _knows_ there’s no way he’ll bond with a girl and none of the guys he interacts with are gay.

“So have you seen him yet?”

Blaine jumps, since Puck’s suddenly right behind him on the bleachers, and Blaine must’ve been deep in his daydreams because he didn’t notice.

“Fuck you, Puckerman,” he snarls, catching his breath. “No, I haven’t. Still don’t care.”

“Maybe you should, he’s easy on the eye.” Quinn is there next to Puck and Blaine smirks, realizing she’s the girl for the week. “Would make a nice toy.”

“Not all of us are after a _pet_ , Fabray,” Blaine rolls his eyes, “and _you_ still don’t know what you’ll turn out to be, anyway.”

She deflates a little, knowing that her on-off relationship with Puck makes a lot of people think she’ll turn out to be a sub, though those close to her don’t assume it, because they know her better.

“Neither do you, Anderson,” she snaps back with a delay. “For all you know, pretty boy might turn out to be a Dom after all, and don’t think I haven’t noticed you thinking all day.”

Blaine echoes Puck’s chuckle because like everyone else in the school, they find the thought of Blaine submitting to anyone unimaginable.

“I’ve gotta get to History.” Blaine grabs his jacket. “You still need a ride home, Quinn?”

“I’ll get her,” Puck pipes in and Blaine smirks, having expected the reaction from the moment Quinn joined them. “I’ll text you after; we could go for a spin out your way.”

“We’ll see; Coop’s supposed to call,” Blaine calls out over his shoulder.

He’s lost in his thoughts as he walks to his classroom, thinking that he hasn’t heard from his brother in a few weeks, though he knows his parents have. But Cooper’s been calling in the mornings lately, when Blaine’s in school, and it makes him wonder if anything is going on. He tries to not let the worry show on his face, so he’s keeping his head down in the hall.

A sharp “Could you watch where you’re going?” snaps him out of his thoughts just as he feels his body collide with something and, oh, he ran into some _one_.

His eyes snap up and he has a snarky “I was, you’re the one in my way” response ready, but the words get stuck in his throat when he realizes it’s the new guy. And _fuck_ , Quinn wasn’t kidding, he’s more than easy on the eye. He’s more attractive than Blaine’s ever found anyone, including guys from places other than McKinley’s limited “jock or nerd” options.

“New kid?” he eventually asks, his voice strangely shaky.

“What’s it to you?” The guy trails his eyes from Blaine’s biker boots across his trademark jeans and jacket up to his hair. Blaine’s taken to gelling it back, because it cuts down on the necessity to reshape it after he took off his helmet.

“Simple question,” Blaine shrugs, trying to keep his mind calm.

“Just get out of my way,” he hears instead, and his world shifts.

Without thinking, without having any control over it, he moves to the side and his gaze falls automatically down to the floor.

“ _No, this… NO!_ ” his mind screams at him, “ _This doesn’t make sense, what am I doing?_ ”

It’s not like he can move much, though, the command clear as day and his body responding to it without hesitation. Which, he realizes, can only mean two things. For one, he’s a submissive, which is a shock in itself. But for another, he’s just found his soulmate, and that is what shakes him more than the first part.

He can’t look up, though, not without feeling like he’s fighting a direct order even if one wasn’t given. It’s one of the things he remembers from the intro classes - that the first eye contact after the bonding order has to come from the Dominant, that the submissive is to wait until they’re ordered to look at their Dom.

“Oh,” he hears from the boy who hasn’t moved yet and who obviously noticed Blaine’s reaction.

Blaine knows, somewhere in the back of his mind, that since they _are_ soulmates, the boy must be feeling the same buzzing through _his_ body that Blaine is starting to become aware of, the insistent throbbing of his heart, the _mine_ that’s countering Blaine’s _yours_. But there’s no reaction, and even though it’s only seconds, it feels like more to Blaine, and each beat makes him steel himself for rejection. He’s heard of those, too, though not too frequently, but if a Dom walks away without a second command, there’s a cooling off period that makes the bond dissolve. He hasn’t heard of anyone who found another soulmate after, though, and he’s hit with the thought that maybe this will mean that he’ll stay alone for the rest of his life. As a submissive without a Dominant. He cringes at the possibility.

He knows that no one would know, that there isn’t anyone in the hallway they’re standing in, that he could play his role as a tough guy and do okay. But it’s not what his body is craving right now.

“Look at me.”

It’s only a whisper, but it’s surprisingly firm and steady, however quiet, and Blaine responds immediately, the _thump, thump_ of his heart counting off time as he lifts his eyes off the floor.

_Beautiful_ , he thinks of the boy when their eyes find each other.

“I’m Kurt,” Blaine hears and repeats the name in his mind a few times, a smile tugging on his lips. “What’s your name?”

At the question, Blaine hesitates. It’s not a command, so he doesn’t _have to_ answer, and like a Dominant, this is his option to walk away now, not looking back. The non-submissive, toughened part of him fights the urge to respond, his mind telling him that he never offers his name to just anyone who asks.

_It’s not just anyone_ , he counters the doubting voice in his head, _I should…_

He doesn’t get to finish the question when Kurt frowns and seems to think for only a moment before he speaks again.

“Tell me your name.”

There is is, the command that wakens the part of Blaine that he’s not even willing to fight anymore.

“Blaine,” he whispers, “Blaine Anderson.”

“Hi, Blaine.” Kurt smiles, but he still doesn’t initiate physical contact.

Blaine is suddenly all too aware of how much he’s yearning for that, how he wants to touch and feel and be reassured of the connection between them. He doesn’t get it from Kurt, not in that moment.

“Blaine?” Kurt speaks, his voice warm but a little shaky, “I don’t think this was what either of us expected today. So, here’s the thing. You’ll go to your class now,” Blaine finds himself nodding to acknowledge the order, “I’ll go to mine. It’s not the best to start the first day with skipping a class.”

As he’s listening to Kurt, Blaine’s breathing calms down and his fists unclench.

“After class, you will meet me…” Kurt hesitates, “I don’t know the school too well, it’s been a while…”

Kurt’s voice fades out and Blaine is curious, eager to ask how Kurt was in McKinley before, why they haven’t met before. He wants to know everything about this boy, but the bond between them tells him he’ll have time to ask later. Instead, realizing that Kurt’s struggling to think of a place where they could meet without an audience, he racks his own brain until it strikes him. He looks to Kurt for permission to offer an option and he hears the voice in his head again, yelling at him about needing to be allowed to speak.

“The Glee choir room,” Blaine whispers after Kurt nods, the contradictory voice in his head silenced for a moment. “There’s no practice today, and it’s in the wing no one goes to after class.”

“That’ll work.” Kurt nods, “Thank you. We’ll meet there after class. I think we both need to process this, and I don’t want us to talk while we’re both overwhelmed and surprised. Now go, go to class,” Kurt finishes, obviously aware that Blaine needs to hear the order.

_Processing, indeed_ , Blaine thinks on the way to his classroom. _This might take more than one boring History class to process_. He glances over his shoulder at Kurt, who’s walking off the other direction.


	3. Baby Steps

Blaine remembers absolutely nothing from his way to History class, and once he’s there he barely notices Puck’s sideways glance after he slips into his seat. His mind is whirring with what just happened and with what it means and how he could have gotten things so wrong.

But then, the assumption that he would be a Dominant isn’t his; it is, like his image in the school, a guess from people based on that image. There are very few people who know there’s more to him, that there’s a side of him that’s softer, trusting, approachable. It’s the part of him that always makes him look to someone else for advice, for guidance.

_Coop_ , he thinks of his brother, _I should try to get hold of Cooper, he’ll know…_

He hesitates, because he’s not sure what he would ask Cooper. How to be a submissive? No - Blaine is sure, even based on his initial instinctive reactions to Kurt, that it won’t be an issue. How to navigate school when the others’ perception of him is likely to change? He’s unlikely to run into that many problems, since being submissive should take nothing away from his reputation and the general knowledge about his boxing skills. How to keep his friendship with Puck? They talked about it before, though not explicitly, and Blaine trusts Puck to not abandon their friendship because of this.

There is still the nagging feeling that he should call Cooper, which Blaine chalks up to wanting to let his brother know about his newly found soulmate. And Dom.

_Submissive_ , races through Blaine’s mind again, _I’m a sub_.

Two things are battling for attention in his mind through the class: the shock of having found a soulmate when he’d resigned himself to waiting until he was out of high school and being a sub when he’s aware that the majority of McKinley, including him, assumed he would be a Dom.

_It won’t change a thing_ , he tries to convince himself, but he knows that it’s a losing battle.

Puck won’t be enough support if the jocks decide that Blaine’s reputation means nothing when he can be ordered around. It will mean little if they assume that he’ll take orders from anyone, not just his soulmate. It is a possibility since he doubts any of them paid attention in the general Dominance and submission classes that were a requirement. The submission part especially probably went over the head of guys convinced they were going to end up Doms.

“Anderson!” Puck hisses from his desk, finally getting Blaine’s attention, “What the fuck?”

“What?” Blaine grumbles, keeping his voice low.

The last thing he needs is a detention. That would mean he wouldn’t be able to meet Kurt as he was told, or would get into more trouble not showing up for detention because he followed his Dom’s orders. His head is beginning to throb from everything that’s going on inside it, and he lowers it into his hands, propping his elbows on the desk.

“Are you okay, man?” Puck asks with unusual concern.

“‘M fine,” Blaine mumbles, “Tell you later.”

“Damn right, you will,” Puck growls. “If there’s someone that started shit again…”

Just as Blaine shakes his head to let Puck know that no, no one has tried to cause Blaine any trouble, the teacher catches sight of Puck leaning towards Blaine from his desk.

“Mr. Puckerman,” the voice booms across the room, and Blaine freezes.

_No, I can’t be in trouble, I can’t not make it to the choir room after class_ , a panicky voice rings through his head.

But it’s Puck who gets a warning and then a detention when he mouths back off to the teacher, and Blaine breathes a sigh of relief, burying his face into his hands again.

It feels like the class drags on for twice as long as it realistically lasts, but finally there’s the sound of the bell and the noises of everyone scrambling up and rushing out of the room. Blaine gathers up his bag and books and stuffs them hurriedly into his arms, muttering a quick “I’ll call you” to Puck, who stays in his chair, waiting for his detention to start.

Once he’s in the hallway, Blaine notices the thinning of the crowd with further relief, glad that he won’t have to push his way through people or answer too many questions on the way. The music and arts wing isn’t one he visits frequently, not since his unsuccessful attempt at joining the Glee club back in sophomore year. Luckily, it doesn’t catch anyone’s attention when he makes his way there, his head down so he doesn’t meet anyone’s eye.

The choir room is empty and somewhat dark, the only light coming from the narrow windows at the back of the risers, leading into the courtyard. Blaine hesitates when he realizes he’s still alone.

What is he supposed to do? Should he sit or stand, bow his head or look to the door while he’s waiting for Kurt? Should he kneel? _Oh no, please_ , he thinks, the thought of kneeling in open submission when he can’t be completely sure who’s going to walk in the door making him shiver. But he doesn’t want to disappoint Kurt… his Dom… anyone, really. The urge to please people has always been something that drives him, and there’s a spark of joy when he considers that he finally has someone he can direct it at.

“You don’t have to,” sounds through the room, and Blaine’s head lifts up, his eyes meeting Kurt’s.

He fights off the need to duck his head again and stares into the blue eyes that carry a glint of excitement but also a shadow of hesitancy that mirrors his own.

“Hi Blaine.” Kurt smiles. “No, don’t hide from me,” he continues when Blaine’s face begins to duck down, “I can see you wondering if you should kneel…”

Blaine’s eyes open wide because mind-reading wasn’t what he expected from a soulmate bond. It’s only then that he realizes that he’s propped one of his knees on a chair subconsciously, and he immediately pulls it away and blushes.

“I wouldn’t ask you to like this,” Kurt explains, “I promise I won’t.”

Something breaks a little in Kurt’s voice, and Blaine feels his curiosity rise. He wants to make sure that tone doesn’t appear in Kurt’s voice again, wants to make it better. He wants to know what caused it and how to erase it from Kurt’s memory.

“I just…” Kurt hesitates, then sits down on one of the chairs and waves a hand towards another to ask Blaine to sit too, “I just wanted to talk.”

“About what?” Blaine asks carefully, folding himself into the chair, pulling his feet up into the seat.

He feels small, but somehow right, like he finally doesn’t have to try to make himself taller or bigger.

“I didn’t expect _this_ to happen on my first day here,” Kurt states, and Blaine recoils a little and frowns. “No, it’s not a bad thing, I don’t think it’s bad,” Kurt immediately adds, and relief floods through Blaine at the words. “Unless you think it is?”

“No,” Blaine says, his voice low and barely audible, but still filling the empty room somehow, “I just…”

He doesn’t know how to tell Kurt that he’d expected, assumed he was a Dominant, not without blurting something that might make Kurt think Blaine doesn’t _want_ this. Because, it strikes him, he does, he likes the idea of someone like Kurt, someone so beautiful, being his Dom.

“Blaine,” Kurt speaks and makes Blaine realize he’s drifted off into silence for a little too long, “Tell me.”

It’s soft, but also clearly an order, and Blaine can’t hold back from that.

“I thought, well, since everyone else assumed, too,” he sighs and lifts his eyes to Kurt, “that I would be a Dom. Ever since I transferred here, it was what everyone thought I would be, so this is a little surprising. I’m not sure how to wrap my head around it, but I’m also not saying I don’t _want_ this, it’s just…”

He waves his hand like that can explain the mix of thoughts and emotions whirring through his mind that he can’t put into words.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers as an afterthought, afraid he might’ve hurt Kurt’s feelings.

“Blaine, no,” Kurt responds immediately, “That’s nothing to be sorry for. I can understand how that would be a shock to the system. I’ll need to you tell me honestly, though, do you want an out? We still can, before…” Their eyes meet and they both blush and look away, “Before filing an official claim. I mean, even after, it just gets harder to dissolve a bond the longer...”

“No!” Blaine cries out, panic seeping through him.

_Maybe Kurt doesn’t want me, doesn’t want a sub who isn’t ready, have I already messed up too much?_

It’s when he feels the touch of Kurt’s hand on his knee that Blaine’s breathing steadies. The warmth from Kurt’s palm spreads from the place he’s touching through the rest of Blaine’s body.

“I’m glad,” he hears Kurt say, “I was afraid you wouldn’t want to… wouldn’t want _us_. Me.”

When Blaine looks up, the relief he feels is not only his own, but also Kurt’s, seeping through the contact even with the fabric of his jeans in between. It feels right, like he’s finally found something he wasn’t even sure he was looking for. He’s still afraid, but there’s a spark of hope now that they’ll figure it all out, together.

“So,” Blaine clears his throat, “We should talk about this, I guess?”

There’s uncertainty in his voice, betraying just how little he knows about what to expect and how ill-prepared he is for everything concerning bonding. Sure, there were classes the year before, about the basics of finding a soulmate, about the options to _not_ follow up on a bond and the possibilities of never finding a partner after, but they haven’t left much of an impression. The classes with more detailed information are likely to be offered to them soon, once it’s known that they’ve bonded.

“We should,” Kurt nods, his hand remaining on Blaine’s knee, “I’m not sure where to start, though.”

“Maybe,” Blaine hesitates, mulling his thoughts over, “I’ve heard,” he blushes, aware that Kurt will figure out that the grapevine whispers fly fast, “that you were at Dalton until now. Can you tell me why you’re here? I mean, at McKinley?”

He knows wording his query as a question rather than an order will make no difference to Kurt. It’s not a habit either, from when he was cautious about accidental bonding. It feels right, to ask for an answer, instead of demanding it, even just with how he arranges the words he speaks.

“ _That_ is what you’re most curious about?” Kurt responds with a smile on his lips and in his tone, “I would’ve thought you’d be wondering about other things…”

Blaine freezes, torn between wondering if it was the wrong thing to ask, his increased curiosity about the reasons for Kurt’s transfer and a sudden rush of warmth as the ‘other’ things flood his mind. He knows there’s a blush on his face, and he ducks his head down to hide it.

“Don’t,” Kurt brings his free hand to Blaine’s chin and pushes it up, “I’m joking! It’s not as exciting a story as you might expect it to be, though.”

With that, Kurt starts talking, both his hands now an anchor of calming contact between them.

“My Dad,” Kurt begins, slowly, “He had a heart attack.”

Blaine’s eyes widen and his mouth opens to say something, but Kurt continues before Blaine can figure out what to say.

“He’s okay, now. It’s just made me realize that being two hours away and in a school where it’s hard to reach me isn’t good for me. I’d have worried all the time. So I talked him into letting me transfer back,” Kurt smiles hesitantly, “I’m not the same kid I was before, I can fight my own battles. And the school has improved, especially the dominance and submission classes, according to the information I got to.”

It feels a little like deja-vu to Blaine, the words Kurt is saying an echo of his own words to his Dad when they were discussing McKinley.

“Dad knows himself that the anti-bullying policies are supposed to be in place here,” Kurt adds, “Not that I’m going to risk making him angry by telling him if they’re not.”

Kurt’s story is shorter than Blaine expected and he has a feeling there is more to it. Though what Kurt said definitely explains why he has come back to McKinley.

It’s the _back_ that nags him, because it means Kurt has been a McKinley student before. He wonders if it was recent and if he somehow missed this beautiful boy who’s now sitting in front of him. If they could have had all this at Dalton, because Blaine has no doubts now that he would’ve followed Kurt there.

_Oh._

He shivers when the thought registers with him.

“Blaine?” he hears Kurt ask, the story finished and silence filling the choir room.

“I’m sorry,” Blaine whispers, “I just realized…”

_I would follow you anywhere. I’m yours._

The hesitation to say the words is still stronger than his eagerness to please, to be completely open and as vulnerable as it would make him to someone he doesn’t really know.

“It… it can wait,” he mutters.

There’s a pause and he’s afraid to look at Kurt, worried that his reluctance to speak will ruin everything.

“Okay,” Kurt says instead and Blaine’s lungs fill with air, “before we go back to life stories, can you tell me what it is that you know about bonding? I can only imagine that a public school’s system is different from Dalton and I would appreciate knowing just how much.”

“It’s not much,” Blaine admits with a shrug, “Not until people bond, really. There’s a general class in Sophomore year that explains how bonding works, but that’s mostly a repeat of the same class that we all had in elementary and middle school. It’s an explanation of the bonding order and that it determines designation. Oh, and that no one knows until the bonding whether they’re a Dom or a sub.”

“That really isn’t much,” Kurt frowns, “So you had no classes on basic Dominance or submission?”

“No, they do those classes, but they’re individual for bonded people,” Blaine explains, “It’s not a full class, they’re more… tutoring, I guess? It cuts down on people’s guesswork for who will turn out to be a Dom and who will be a sub. Also, there are less accidental bondings for people who are too young. That’s what the brochure says, anyway.”

To Blaine’s surprise, Kurt chuckles at first, then sighs, “I guess it’s a good thing I kept my Dad away from the school, he’d never have let me transfer until next year if he knew.”

“I’m glad you transfered now,” Blaine whispers, almost too quietly to be heard.

He knows Kurt heard him, because the fingers on Blaine’s knee twitch in reaction. Kurt’s other hand has been on his knee since he started telling Blaine about the transfer, and Blaine watches it turn around now, opening in invitation. He lifts his hand and places it over Kurt’s palm, feeling the warmth the moment their skin touches.

“Look,” Kurt speaks up, “I know we don’t know each other, but I like you.”

Blaine’s eyes widen at the statement.

“I just…” Kurt hesitates for a beat, “I don’t know what you’ve done or what you’re comfortable with…”

His voice drifts off as Blaine shakes his head, wordlessly asking Kurt if he can speak. When Kurt nods, Blaine takes a deep breath and focuses on the touch of their hands.

“I… there’s nothing,” Blaine speaks quietly, “I’ve never… but I don’t know what you expect and…,” he shakes his head to clear the chaos in his thoughts, “Could you tell me about Dalton and what you learned? You’re bound to know more about this than I do.”

Kurt nods, the smile on his lips still warm and content. It’s when his eyes drop to Blaine’s lips that heat rushes into both their faces and Blaine catches Kurt mouthing what he thinks is ‘not yet’ before he ducks his head to the floor again, his eyes catching the sight of Kurt’s lips on the way.

They’re suddenly the only thing he can think of.


	4. Past Shadows

The thought is still on his mind as Kurt talks, and it’s proving to be more than distracting. Blaine finds himself bemoaning the fact that talking involves lips, because as inexperienced as he is, he’s still a _boy_. The idea of those lips on his tugs at his brain, and it’s not helping that Kurt’s never let go of his hand. He tries hard to not let it show how much the contact gets to him or how the warmth between their palms makes him want to melt into it, but he’s drifting off all too easily.

“We’ve had some basic classes,” Kurt explains, “I guess since Dalton is an all-boys school, they worried less about accidental bonding. That said, Nick and Jeff found each other in class like that.”

Blaine shakes his head to clear the fog that’s taking it over and quirks his eyebrow up in curiosity.

“Nick and Jeff? Classmates?” he asks, hoping for a story.

“Yeah, they’re our age,” Kurt nods, “And they’ve been best friends from day one at Dalton, but it’s always been Jeff bossing Nick around the place, never once thinking twice about it. Nick’s quiet, Jeff is…  “ Kurt pauses like he’s thinking of something, “out there, I guess. Neither of them were _out_ , though. I don’t think they realized they were gay. Or in any way attracted to boys.”

Blaine nods and shifts a little, interested in the story of two boys he’s never met, but somehow feeling like it might give him some clarity.

“We had our first ever class, and of course Jeff volunteered them,” Kurt smiles, but there’s a shadow marring the happiness, making Blaine wonder how much Kurt regrets leaving his friends behind when he transferred. “The teacher knew them, of course, so he suggested they swap. The next thing the whole class knows is that Jeff is on his knees in front of Nick and Nick’s shaking like a leaf because he barked a ‘be quiet’ to Jeff who was protesting and being his usual noisy self.”

“How did they…?” Blaine starts and gulps, “How did they deal with that? The reversing of the roles must’ve been confusing.”

He feels Kurt’s fingers tighten around his and he ducks his head to their linked hands on top of his knee. It’s like an anchor point now, like it’s the one thing keeping him from floating away to where his mind seems to be heading.

“Surprisingly, they adapted quickly,” Kurt responds, “Nick is quiet but firm and steady and Jeff, well, Jeff might like to order people around, but he’s really taken to having Nick ground him. I think the bigger shock for them was to have bonded with each other. We’d all kind of suspected that one, though; they’ve been glued at the hip all the time anyway.”

Blaine’s smile is weak, because he doesn’t know if that’s what Kurt wants, someone who adapts so easily, someone who’d fall to his knees at the first order. _Kurt said he wouldn’t_ , Blaine thinks, but immediately his doubting mind adds, _But that could’ve been just a platitude, something to win my trust_.

“Is that…?” he starts and freezes, unsure if the question on his mind is appropriate, but it’s the only thing he can focus on.

_Do you want that? Do you want me at your feet, small and weak and obliging? Will you leave if I can’t be that for you?_

“Blaine,” Kurt whispers when Blaine’s shoulders sag and his hand loosens its grip on Kurt’s, “Blaine, look up, please.”

Pushing away the urge to rebel, Blaine slowly lifts his head again and meets Kurt’s eyes.

“I’m not looking for that,” Kurt speaks quietly, his fingers gently brushing over Blaine’s skin, “I never did. A slave is not what I’ve wanted, and I wouldn’t do that to you.”

Blaine can see the sincerity in Kurt’s face, the gentleness and care that’s surprising for someone he’d only met hours ago. It’s more than he’s ever seen from anyone, really, and it shakes him in the best possible way. He’s jolted back to reality by the realization of how much he already wants this, how much it means to him that Kurt is looking at him that way.

“Thank you,” he finally whispers.

“It’s what we’ve been taught,” Kurt continues, “One of the things in Dom class at Dalton, one of the emphasized parts is that a submissive is _not_ there to be ordered around like they don’t matter. We were taught the difference between dominance and abuse. I’ve been on the receiving end of the latter, and with or without contract, I _promise_ I’ll never do that to you.”

“You were?” Blaine blurts out without thinking, “Doesn’t Dalton have a zero-tolerance policy against bullying?”

Kurt smiles the smile that Blaine can see a shadow of pain in, the one he wants to erase immediately, though he doesn’t know how.

“It does,” Kurt nods, “It wasn’t Dalton.”

The three words make it all click together for Blaine and answer the question he wanted to ask following the one about Kurt leaving Dalton.

“Here?” he whispers the question, though he already knows the answer.

Kurt nods and shivers, and it makes Blaine want to do something to wipe away the sudden frown on Kurt’s face, but he can’t think of anything more than squeezing Kurt’s hand. It’s what Kurt has done before and Blaine thinks, maybe if it’s such a helpful thing for him, it might work for someone else, too.

“It started in middle school, really,” Kurt’s voice is quiet and Blaine is barely breathing, “The jokes, the slurs, the not-so-subtle insults…”

“You don’t have to tell me,” Blaine tells him when Kurt pauses.

“No, I want to,” Kurt states firmly, “I’d rather you know, in case those people haven’t grown up since then.”

“I’m pretty sure they haven’t,” Blaine’s voice carries a trace of bitterness, “Not that I go near the worst of them if I can help it.”

They sit in silence for a moment, then Kurt speaks up again, his voice low and showing just how much he’s been through, but also making Blaine realize that he’s come out the other side stronger.

“They used to be relentless, the bullies,” Kurt keeps his eyes on Blaine’s face as he’s talking, “They’d make fun of me for any reason they could think of. If it wasn’t how I dressed, it was that I chose to bake a cake instead of kicking a football. It was that I preferred to hang out with girls than with the guys. But they were just words and I could deal with those. I’ve been called gay before I, or they, knew what it even meant, but that was something I was able to brush off. My Dad knew some of it, including that I was gay before I even came out to him,” Kurt smiles fondly and Blaine knows he’ll ask to hear that story soon, “but then I started here and got locker-checked on the first day. And slushied within the first three hours.”

Blaine is lost for words. _Was this what I would’ve gone through without the bike and Puck?_ He can’t fathom dealing with people like that daily, not even the things Kurt’s been through before high school. His fingers tighten around Kurt’s hand, and he feels for this boy, hates that something like this happened to him and a part of him wants to _do_ something about it, even though he doesn’t know what.

“So you transferred to Dalton,” he says quietly instead and watches Kurt nod.

“It turns out I was the freshmen’s initiation project to be accepted in the football team. Dad, of course, heard about it when the nurse called him at work, yelled the principal down and pulled me out of here immediately,” Kurt continues, then pauses, “He’s been pushing for a change since and it _has_ , as he’s been told, gotten better.”

Blaine thinks it might just be because there isn’t an open target like Kurt must have been, but the slushies continue; he’s seen enough glee club members cleaning up colored ice off their clothes.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he tells Kurt and drops his head again.

It’s not his place to want to retaliate. Especially not for something that happened years ago.

“Hey,” Kurt lifts a hand to Blaine’s chin and pushes it up until their eyes meet, “it’s not your fault. And at the end, I was better off at Dalton. I got to be in their choir and sing, something I wouldn’t have done here. Is Rachel Berry still the lead?”

Blaine nods, remembering how he’d tried to join and failed, because of Rachel, mostly.

It was his one attempt at fitting in with at least one group and trying to approach the glee club, because the jocks held absolutely no attraction to him. He got as far as the choir room door when Rachel’s “what are _you_ doing here?”, in a tone that was almost equivalent to a slushie in his face, made him turn around and walk away. That same day, he got talking to Puck beyond compliments on Blaine’s bike, and they’d stuck with each other since.

“I’m guessing she was like that before high school?” Blaine asks, though he can guess the answer.

“She was,” Kurt nods with a smile that carries a sign of nostalgia, “Rachel has her mind set on certain things and nothing will stop her. We competed against them, last year.”

“I heard about the tie with Dalton,” Blaine admits, because _who didn’t hear about that?_ , “Rachel was fuming for weeks.”

“It was a fair result, though they didn’t let it slide at Regionals then,” Kurt’s smile drops, “Maybe this year the boys will get further.”

Blaine holds Kurt’s hand a little bit tighter when he notices his Dom’s mood drop.

“Do you miss them?” he asks, afraid of the answer a little.

Blaine watches as Kurt loses himself in thought, a soft smile playing on his lips again, but doesn’t reminisce for too long.

“I do,” Kurt nods eventually, “They’re fun and loyal and living in dorms, you really don’t have many chances to _not_ make friends, even if it’s over silly things like a too early curfew. But,” he pauses and his eyes drift down to where his hand is linked with Blaine’s, “I’m glad I’m here now. I wouldn’t have met you until whenever if I hadn’t transferred. I just wish the reason was different.”

With that, he stops and falls into thinking again and from the frown on his forehead, Blaine knows that Kurt is likely thinking of his Dad’s health scare. He wishes he had someone who could help, or that he had a way to help. But short of trying to make Kurt happy about other things, he can’t do anything.

“So, anyway,” Kurt looks up again with a shake of his head, “That’s enough about me. I want us to know each other, Blaine; that includes me knowing you.”

Blaine nods and smiles. He knows that with other people, he’d keep himself guarded and wary of sharing too many details, but with Kurt it’s automatic. Kurt can ask anything and Blaine _will_ answer, not just out of obligation or because he’s told to. He trusts Kurt already, more than he ever trusted anyone.

“You can ask me anything you want to know,” he offers, “Though I don’t know how exciting my life story is.”

“Let me be the judge of that,” Kurt laughs, “I do have questions, beyond ones about where you found such perfectly cut, amazingly fitting jeans.”

Blaine immediately blushes because _what was Kurt looking at to know how well my jeans fit?_ runs through his mind. Instead of dwelling on that though, he wonders what questions Kurt will have and how many similarities their lives already had. Having heard Kurt’s reasons for transferring to Dalton, Blaine can’t help but frown at his own memories of the unpleasant experiences.

“One thing that does make me wonder,” Kurt begins cautiously, “is that I don’t remember you from middle school or even from my one day stint here, though that one is a little more understandable. Did you move here from somewhere else?”

_It’s really not an easy question_ , Blaine thinks, but of course, Kurt has no way of knowing that.

“I didn’t,” he starts, “I was in middle school in Westerville, originally. And then in high school there too, until sophomore year. I’ve only been at McKinley since then.”

“May I ask why you transferred?”

Blaine pauses. It’s not an order, he can chicken out and not tell Kurt about the reason, but he doesn’t want to start them off with secrets. So he braces himself by holding Kurt’s hand maybe a little tighter than before and ducks his head.

“It wasn’t as bad in middle school as you had it,” he speaks quietly, but enough that he knows Kurt can understand him, “But I wasn’t _out_. I didn’t know, really, and nothing in school or at home made me consider I might be gay. It was in freshman year, though, that I realized that there were _boys_ I liked and that the girls left me completely cold.”

He feels Kurt’s fingers squeeze around him, in sympathy or in encouragement, Blaine isn’t sure, but it reassures him all the same.

“It was in sophomore year when we had a dance in the school and by then, I had come out, though only to my friends,” Blaine sighs shakily, “They said they didn’t mind. There was a boy who came out around the same time and…” he stops, his fingers shaking.

Kurt doesn’t stop him, doesn’t tell Blaine he doesn’t have to continue if he doesn’t want to. As if he senses that Blaine does want to tell his story but needs his time, Kurt holds on to Blaine’s hand and wraps his other one around their linked fingers.

“We went together,” Blaine speaks up again, “We weren’t dating, but neither of us wanted to hide. And to be honest, there were no girls we wanted to ask. It went okay through the dance and we didn’t notice anything. Only, when we were leaving, the whole football team was waiting for us in the parking lot.”

“Blaine…” Kurt squeezes his hand tight and Blaine looks up, meeting the blue eyes that are fixed on him.

“I was in the hospital for a week, my friend for a few days. I never went back to Westerville, but instead stayed home for a while, then enrolled here,” Blaine finishes, “The bike was Dad’s idea, and I’m glad he let me have it. It quite possibly is the thing that allowed me to survive here.”

They go silent for a moment. Blaine isn’t sure what else to say and he’s a little unnerved by Kurt’s curious gaze. He’s about to speak up, ask about Kurt’s Dad some more because he’s curious, ask about Kurt’s expectations because he’s anxious to know, when he hears muffled giggles and other noises from the corridor outside the choir room. Kurt looks to the door in the same moment as Blaine does, their hands parting. The lack of contact makes Blaine feel a little lost for a moment, but then he catches a flash of a familiar-looking mohawk through the window and he freezes.

_Puck, of course_ , Blaine thinks, then frowns, _I should’ve known they’d use the choir room._

It’s been Puck and Quinn’s place to go before, partly because it’s usually quiet but partly because of the Finn and Rachel glee club connection. Blaine never quite understood when Puck explained how it felt like revenge, but now he’s annoyed with himself that he didn’t think of it.

“Blaine?” Kurt whispers, “Do you want them to know?”

Blaine panics at the thought. He does believe, of all people, Puck and Quinn will understand, though he’s also sure that they’ll tease him endlessly, but not in a hurtful way. Still, he doesn’t want them to find out like this, not yet, not until he has more time with Kurt alone. That’s when a thought hits him and he speaks up quickly, before they really _have to_ leave so they’re not found.

“My house…” he gulps, realizing how it sounds, “I’m not expecting _anything_ ,” he emphasizes, “but my parents aren’t home yet. Would you like to… continue talking?”

Kurt smiles and reaches for Blaine’s hand again once they get up off their chairs.

“I’m not getting on your bike, though,” Kurt says firmly, and Blaine holds back a chuckle, then links his fingers with Kurt’s, “But I’ll follow you in my car. Now let’s get out of here.”

The calmness back in his veins, Blaine follows Kurt out of the choir room.


	5. Home Ground

It surprises Blaine how easily they manage to slip out of school without being noticed, but soon his thoughts are stuck on something different. He drives slower than he usually would, mindful of Kurt following him, the car at a safe distance but always in sight in Blaine’s rear view mirror. It’s difficult for him to focus on the road, his mind and body already craving Kurt’s closeness, the distance, however small, already something he dislikes strongly. For a moment, when they were in the parking lot, he almost suggested to ride with Kurt in the car, but he didn’t want to leave his bike. It wasn’t only for fear of getting it damaged, but also because he knows Puck would spot it and ask about the reason.

_I’ll tell him tomorrow_ , Blaine thinks, _it’s not like he won’t realize anyway_.

When he pulls up at the house in the middle of nowhere, he’s suddenly overwhelmed with gratefulness that his parents decided to move closer to Lima. Imagining the two hour drive to Westerville is bad enough without having to make it with Kurt trailing him. He almost jumps off his bike once he’s park, but then forces his muscles to calm down and waves his hand towards the free spot where his Mom’s car would normally be parked. Kurt pulls in slowly and by the time he’s opening the door, Blaine’s whole body is buzzing in anticipation.

“Nice house,” Kurt remarks, taking in Blaine’s home, “It’s… big.”

Blaine’s not sure why he blushes, because it’s never been a secret to anyone that his parents are wealthy enough, but he’s never showed it off and definitely doesn’t want to feel like he’s doing so with Kurt.

“It’s a bit of a pain to clean,” he shrugs and ducks his head.

“I’d imagine so,” Kurt smiles and steps towards Blaine, their fingers linking automatically.

Feeling the comforting contact, Blaine looks up to meet Kurt’s eyes and yet again feels his breathing stutter. Kurt’s face is bright and the expression in it happy, smiling wide.

“Would you… do you want to… come inside?” Blaine says quietly.

He’s not afraid that Kurt will say no, but there are implications to the invitation that he can’t _not_ think about, things that make the blush return into his face. There are thoughts in his mind that he’d never dared to even dream about, never let himself imagine so he wouldn’t have to be disappointed when they didn’t happen. Then there are those that he didn’t know he should be imagining, ones closely tied to the new discovery of his submissive status. He feels the warmth where his hand is linked with Kurt’s and it’s like electricity is running from that spot into the rest of his body.

“It’s why we’re here, isn’t it?” Kurt replies, sounding as sure as Blaine wishes he was.

“Yeah… y-yeah,” Blaine stutters a little and starts moving towards the front door.

He almost falls when his movement is stopped by a tug on his hand. Kurt is rooted to the spot, it seems and Blaine looks back to him, confused.

“Blaine, come here,” Kurt’s voice is strong, but there’s a note of worry in it, “Look at me,” he says firmly when Blaine’s eyes turn to the ground.

Not hesitating, Blaine follows the command and meets Kurt’s eyes, knowing that his worry and overthinking are written clearly across his face.

“I don’t want you to panic or worry, Blaine,” Kurt says with so much affection in his voice, it shakes Blaine to his core, “I do not have any expectations beyond us getting to know each other better, okay?”

Blaine nods, but his muscles don’t stop being a little tense.

“We don’t have to,” Kurt continues and his eyes dart to the house, “If you’re not comfortable, I can go. Now that you’re home safe…”

“No, I want to!” Blaine interrupts and cringes immediately, “I’m sorry, I didn’t...”

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Blaine,” Kurt smiles, “It’s not like I want you to ask for permission to speak.”

Yet again, Blaine wonders if Kurt can read his mind because that’s once more the right thing to say to calm his nerves a little.

“I do want us to talk some more,” Blaine says after a deep breath, “It’s just, I’ve never… No one’s ever…”

“Hey,” Kurt interrupts this time when Blaine is struggling with words, “You’re forgetting,” Kurt’s hand cups Blaine’s chin and lifts it up, “this is all new to me, too. We’re on equal ground.”

Kurt’s touch is like an anchor; it grounds Blaine immediately and calms him, though the doubt and anxiety are still swirling through his mind. He breathes easier when Kurt’s hands are touching him, making him think of the moment when Kurt will leave. It’s unsettling to him, to be this attached to someone when he’s so used to going it alone.

“I’ve said it before, I’ll keep saying it until you believe me,” Kurt keeps speaking as Blaine slowly lets go of the tension he’s riddled with, “I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want. If we’re in this, it’s a partnership. But…”

Blaine’s eyes widen when he sees a flash of a frown cross Kurt’s mind. He wants to wipe it away, to stop it from settling in.

“Blaine, I’ll ask you now and I need you to be honest with me,” Kurt says, his voice a little shakier than just moments ago, “Do you want this? Do you want _us_?”

The nod comes before Blaine can think about it too much. He knows it looks eager and impatient and almost like too much, but he can’t find it in himself to care. There’s no doubt in him about how much he’s already attached to Kurt, how much he already feels their soulmate connection, but while it’s overwhelming, he knows that letting go now would possibly crush him.

“Thank you,” Kurt whispers and Blaine sees the relief flood over the soft features.

_Did he really think I’d say no? Did I make him think it was a possibility?_

Guilt washes over Blaine as the questions tug at his brain, the feeling of disappointing Kurt, even in theory, makes him want to ask for forgiveness. He feels his knees buckling a little, but then Kurt squeezes his hand again and Blaine comes back, shaking his head to clear it.

_Too soon, too much, can’t be weak_ , the words echo inside his mind, the last one conditioned into him over the time at McKinley.

He remembers his mantra that he’s been living with since the first day there, repeated to himself “don’t show that you’re vulnerable, make them believe you’re what they labeled you as”. Right there and then, still looking into his Dom’s face, Blaine realizes that he’s always somehow known he was submissive, that his nature was always present. He’s had to put up a front, one that protected him until now.

Kurt is looking at him with a questioning expression, but Blaine doesn’t know what to say. How would he even begin to explain that here, with Kurt’s fingers linked with his own, with Kurt standing right in front of him, it’s the first time that he feels truly _safe_. Like he could fall apart and Kurt wouldn’t let him, or would be there to piece him back together.

“Can we go inside?” he asks instead, feeling more vulnerable out in the open and craving the comfort of being surrounded with things he knows, being within walls that have always protected him before.

“Of course,” Kurt nods, “Lead the way, this is your home, after all.”

Blaine smiles, hoping he’s conveying how thankful he is that Kurt agreed, then starts walking towards the front door again. This time, though, Kurt walks right behind him, their hands not parting as they walk inside and Blaine hesitates again.

_Living room, that’s where we should go_ , he thinks but then wonders again, _but maybe that’s too formal, maybe it’s too much_.

He glances to Kurt, but is only met with a smile and a shrug, so he has to make the decision himself. He reaches to close the door behind Kurt and freezes when his chest brushes against Kurt’s arm. It’s the closest they’ve been so far and Blaine’s skin buzzes from the touch, even with the layers of clothing separating it from Kurt’s. His cheeks warm up when it hits that he’s wondering whether Kurt’s body is as pale everywhere, like his hands and his face are.

_Too soon, Blaine, slow down_ , he chastises himself and pulls away.

It’s then that the idea strikes him and suddenly he knows exactly where the best spot will be to continue the conversation. His sanctuary, his spot in the house where he’s always found comfort when things got too much and he needed an escape. He looks to Kurt, squeezes his hand and tugs on it gently as he moves towards a door at the end of the hall.

“It’s our music room,” Blaine says quietly when they walk in, “Mom set it up for me when we moved.”

He watches as Kurt takes in the small room, an upright piano to the side, a reading nook on the other. The room is where he spent most of his time after the attack, reading at first, then playing once his hands recovered enough. He’s never invited anyone there, always choosing his bedroom or the living room for visits from the few friends that he has. But now that Kurt is standing there, it feels complete, though Blaine didn’t realize before that something was missing.

“You play?” Kurt asks and smiles, “You didn’t tell me that.”

The corner of Blaine’s lips turns up and he looks to his piano, “You didn’t ask.”

“Will you play for me?”

Again, it’s a question and not an order and Blaine knows that he has the chance to decline. It’s reassuring, but he doesn’t really need or want the option. When he decided to bring Kurt here, he did it with the intention of playing for him. He nods and looks down at their hands, reluctantly unwinding his fingers from around Kurt’s, then glances to Kurt again as if to offer an apology.

“I would love to,” he replies and steps towards the piano. “Will you take a seat?”

Blaine looks back to Kurt when he reaches the piano and sees him looking around the room to find a place to sit, frowning. Eventually, his gaze lingers on a chair that’s nearest to the piano and he smiles, walking towards it quickly.

“The others were too far,” Kurt offers as his explanation, “I want to see you play.”

The blush returns to Blaine’s cheeks, this time because he’s not used to playing for an audience besides his immediate family, but he nods and sits down, his fingers immediately finding the keys.

“Do you have any requests?” he asks Kurt.

“No, none,” Kurt replies, leaning back in the chair and Blaine is yet again overwhelmed by how beautiful Kurt looks.

“Okay,” he mutters when he catches his breath again and turns his eyes to the front, though he has no sheet music to play from.

Without thinking too much, he lets his fingers move by themselves, finding the melody to a familiar song quickly, one that he’s rearranged before but didn’t play for anyone yet.

Blaine doesn’t look over to Kurt as he plays. The song is not as easily recognizable with the new arrangement he’s done. But halfway through it, he catches movement out of the side of his eye and soon after, feels Kurt’s hands on his shoulders. It’s not enough to stop him from playing, but his fingers move a little easier as he does and the lyrics float through his mind. When he gets to the first bridge again, he can’t stop the words that are pushing their way out of his mouth.

“ _My heart stops when you look at me, just one touch now baby I believe_ ,” he sings quietly, “ _this is real, so take a chance and don't ever look back, don't ever look back_.”

Kurt joins him for the chorus and Blaine can hear the smile in his voice, but it’s distracting enough that his fingers stumble over the keys and he stops. He turns to face Kurt, who’s stopped singing the moment Blaine’s playing did.

“Your voice is amazing,” Blaine says with obvious shock, “No wonder the Warblers did so well if you were with them.”

He’s looking up to Kurt’s face, trying to decipher what is going on in his soulmate’s mind when he doesn’t say anything. Blaine pulls his feet up until he’s sitting on the piano bench cross-legged, clutching his hands together and his face still turned up. He watches as Kurt’s face goes through expressions and he can see surprise, then a bright smile and eventually a fond look that makes him feel like he’s floating. He doesn’t remember the last time someone looked at him that way.

When he feels Kurt’s palm on his cheek, Blaine sighs and leans into the touch but doesn’t take his eyes off Kurt, even though he’s tempted to close them. When Kurt takes a step back and drops his hand to his side, Blaine barely manages to hold back the whimper that’s at the back of his throat. The loss is almost painful, and it’s definitely leaving him empty, somehow.

“God, you’re perfect like this,” Kurt finally whispers, and Blaine feels like he could burst with pride.

The words wash over him like they’re the highest possible praise. More than when his parents were told him how proud they were, more than when Cooper gave him one of his rare compliments. Definitely more than Puck’s “well done, man”. Blaine feels the words fill him with warmth and beams up at Kurt.

_It’s a little like falling_ , he thinks, _like floating in space_.

When Kurt comes closer again and rests his hand back on Blaine’s cheek, everything else disappears from Blaine’s vision. He thinks it must be minutes, or maybe hours, there’s no telling how much time has passed, but it doesn’t matter.

“Thank you,” he whispers, then tacks on the one word that feels right, even necessary, “sir.”

Kurt’s sharp intake of breath follows the word and Blaine’s eyes widen in fear. He immediately wonders if it was too much, too soon, if he’s stepped over a line he wasn’t aware of. Before he can mutter an apology, he feels the warmth of both Kurt’s palms on his cheeks, holding his face in the spot, his eyes locked on Kurt’s.

“I’m so glad I found you,” Kurt says quietly, “You’re…” there’s a pause that should be shattering, Blaine is barely breathing as he waits, “amazing. Breathtaking. Beautiful. So good.”

It’s more praise than Blaine can handle in the moment. The warmth of it and the realization of how much he already craves the kind words from Kurt are enough to push Blaine’s eyes closed. He hears his own heart beating faster than usual, and loud enough that he thinks Kurt can probably hear it too. When he manages to open his eyes again, Kurt is still looking at him with a smile, but Blaine’s eyes immediately catch the way he’s biting on his bottom lip.

“Blaine…” Kurt whispers and Blaine’s breathing hitches, his heart swelling with anticipation.


	6. Moving Closer

Blaine doesn’t move, Kurt’s hands still on his cheeks and their eyes locked on each other. His tongue darts out and he runs it over his lip, watching as Kurt’s mouth opens a little and his eyes widen. The tension between them is palpable, but Blaine doesn’t feel like it’s his right to break it, to ask for anything. So he waits.

“Come up here,” Kurt finally breathes out, and Blaine immediately scrambles off the bench and stands in front of Kurt.

His knees are shaking and his eyes are open wide. It seems like he can hear the clock ticking faster than it should, but then he realizes it’s his heart speeding up.

“Can I…” Kurt starts and Blaine freezes, his hands clutching at his sides, “Can I kiss you?”

Blaine is nodding before he has a chance to think, to completely comprehend and appreciate the fact that Kurt _asked_ instead of telling him. It takes no longer than two seconds, punctuated with a deep intake of breath from Kurt, before their lips are meeting, gently, Kurt’s hands still on Blaine’s face and pulling him into the kiss. Blaine’s fingers twitch, and he wants to reach out and touch Kurt, but he doesn’t know if it would be okay, if he’s allowed, if it’s something he needs to ask for. He can’t think clearly with Kurt’s lips on his, moving gently, tasting, their tongues alternating in darting out and leaving hot traces as they slide over each other’s lips. The kiss is enough for Blaine’s eyelids to drop and then, he falls. With Kurt’s touch still anchoring him, he’s floating, the feeling close to what he imagines diving into a feather duvet would be like.

There’s a gust of cold air that hits him a while later, but he’s still a little dizzy, still out of breath and not entirely back in reality.

“Blaine, come back to me, please,” he hears Kurt say, and it sounds like he’s behind a waterfall. “Slowly, no rush,” Kurt’s voice talks to him, “Come to me, beautiful.”

When he starts feeling his body more solidly, Blaine blinks and looks at Kurt, his eyes wide and his mind buzzing with what just happened.

“You called me ‘beautiful’,” he whispers.

“I did,” Kurt smiles, “That’s because you are.”

Blaine blushes and feels himself slipping away again as Kurt’s hand brushes over his cheek gently, then his mouth opens a little when Kurt moves his thumb to run it over Blaine’s bottom lip.

“I can’t…” Blaine breathes in, his hands clenched in fists, “I can’t _think_ when you do that.”

Kurt smiles, but he moves his hands away and instead Blaine feels them brushing over his own fists. He unlocks his fingers and lets Kurt link them with his own. It’s not much easier to focus; Blaine is still acutely aware of how close Kurt is, how his lips felt. A part of his brain makes him want to lean back in and keep kissing Kurt, keep chasing the taste of the soft lips.

“We do need to talk,” Kurt nods and tugs Blaine towards a small couch in the middle of the room, “There are…”

“Contracts,” Blaine whispers as he sits down, “Safewords and limits and…”

“Blaine, breathe,” Kurt says with a steady tone, “Slow down.”

It’s enough to make Blaine calm down, though until Kurt spoke up, Blaine didn’t realize just how panicky he was getting. The thought of discussing what he hasn’t even dreamed of before is overwhelming, and he’s amazed at how calm Kurt is about it. He wonders if it’s because of classes that Dalton provided, the ones they’re likely going to attend at McKinley once they let the school know they’ve bonded.

The idea of the classes sends yet another wave of panic through Blaine, because he knows then it will be public knowledge that he’s a submissive. He knows he can stand up for himself, but it’s something he didn’t expect. There are people he knows will try to take advantage of him, people who will try to order him around and dominate him. And while the lessons about the soulmate bond left enough of an impression for him to know orders don’t work that way, that it should only be Kurt who can make him do anything, Blaine still has a little doubt about it.

“Blaine…” Kurt speaks up again, “Look at me.”

“I’m sorry, I…”

He’s immediately flooded with embarrassment, a blush in his face warming his cheeks.

“Don’t apologize,” Kurt smiles, “This is overwhelming to me, too.”

Blaine frowns a little, because to him it seems like Kurt is calm, perfectly prepared for the situation and a lot more settled in his position.

“You’re…” Kurt pauses, frowning, “You do realize that you were well on your way to subspace when we kissed, right?”

That makes Blaine’s eyes open wide, and he gasps because it didn’t cross his mind consciously.

_That’s what it feels like, then?_ he thinks, _Like falling. Like being safe. Like a dream._

“I don’t know what to do with that just yet,” Kurt continues, “You already submit so easily, and I’m afraid I’ll do something that will cross a line. It’s amazing to see you like that, but what if I hurt you? What if I say things that will push you too far?”

Kurt is biting his lip nervously, and Blaine knows that it’s his turn to reassure his soulmate.

“I trust you,” he whispers, eyes wide, and the words slip out of his mouth just as the realization hits, “I know you wouldn’t hurt me deliberately.”

“Blaine,” Kurt breathes out and his eyes are glistening with tears, “That’s… thank you.”

Kurt lifts up one of Blaine’s hands and brushes his lips against the knuckles softly. Blaine’s sight goes blurry for a second, the simple touch enough to make him start to float.

“But,” as Kurt speaks up again it jolts Blaine back into reality, “We do need to _at least_ set up a safeword system. Please?”

“Yeah,” Blaine nods, “I know we have to. I have…” he nods towards the chest of drawers by the piano, “the standard forms that they give out. They handed those out in the classes last year.”

He doesn’t want Kurt to think he’s trying to jump into anything, nor that he was expecting to find his soulmate this soon. He wasn’t, which is why he hasn’t looked at the forms for longer than necessary. What’s in them is just as scary now as it was when he first got them. But he knows the basics, and with how easily it comes to him to follow Kurt’s orders, Blaine is also aware that the sooner they set up the necessary rules, the better it will be for both of them.

“Can you get them, then?” Kurt asks quietly, and Blaine nods.

Letting go of Kurt’s hands is still not easy. _Will it get easier with time?_ Blaine wonders while he walks across the room and then rummages through the top drawer, looking for the folder with the official school logo. _Will I always feel like I’m lost when he’s not with me?_

He sighs and walks back, his fingers tense around the edges of the folder, knuckles white when he hands it to Kurt. There’s a moment when he hesitates about how close he should sit to Kurt, or whether he should do what a part of him craves, which is to curl up at Kurt’s feet and lean against his knee. But Kurt said he doesn’t want Blaine kneeling, and he isn’t in any way indicating that he’d want it now. Blaine finally settles on sitting cross-legged in the corner of the couch, at a small distance from Kurt, who’s immersed in the contract that he’s pulled out of the folder.

“This is a really basic one,” Kurt mutters, and Blaine holds his breath until Kurt looks up at him, “We can do this and later make a more… personal one?”

Kurt is asking, but Blaine doesn’t know how to answer. There’s not enough for him to know the answers to questions that are likely to come up in the contract. He knows nothing about preferences, besides that he likes kissing Kurt, which he’s just figured out when they kissed earlier.

“Okay,” he whispers, eyes locked on Kurt’s.

“This isn’t just about me, Blaine,” Kurt smiles softly, “It’s _never_ going to be only about me. But slow is a good choice, I think. I don’t know about most of these either,” he points to what looks like a rather long list that continues over several pages now scattered across the couch and Kurt’s knees.

“I’m glad,” Blaine blurts out and then pauses, ducking his head.

“You’re glad about what?” Kurt asks curiously.

“That you don’t know either,” Blaine can barely get his voice to carry across the short distance, “That it’s not just me who’s completely inexperienced.”

“We’ll find out way through this together,” Kurt laughs quietly, “I’d say we’ll make mistakes, even if we try not to, but we’ll figure it out together, okay?”

Blaine feels Kurt’s hand on his knee and looks up again, meeting Kurt’s gaze, and smiles back.

“I’d like that,” he replies.

“Now,” Kurt pulls away again and piles the sheets of paper again, “Can we get the technicalities out of the way? I’d feel better to have the safeguards against me messing up in place.”

“I don’t think you can,” Blaine whispers, already aware of the massive amounts of trust he has in Kurt.

He’s not sure if it’s because of their soulmate bond, or if it’s because of his submissive instincts, or simply because Kurt is someone Blaine’s gut trusts regardless of those things. The trust is there, though, and he’s not questioning it because even the idea of doubting Kurt is making him uneasy. He glances to the papers in Kurt’s hands and then cautiously takes the pile that Kurt hands him, scanning the top of it quickly.

It’s standard and basic, and Blaine knows from the amount of sheets that Kurt’s only pulling out the very basics, none of the limits listing that is likely to come up later. Blaine shivers when he thinks of all the possibilities for _later_ , for when they learn each other better and get instructed on safety of the sexual kind. He doesn’t allow himself to dwell on those thoughts because the sheer amount of things listed in the full contract scares him. The sheets in his hand have spaces for their names, and Blaine reaches behind his back for two pens on the table there, then hands one to Kurt.

“Oh,” he pauses once he’s scribbled down his own name into the provided space, “What’s your full name?” he looks up to Kurt curiously.

It’s then that he realizes that he only knows his soulmate’s first name and cringes because he never thought to ask.

“Kurt Hummel,” comes the answer, “Kurt Elizabeth Hummel.”

Kurt is biting on the pen as he looks up to Blaine, his own name filled in, but Blaine can see the space for his name still empty.

“Elizabeth?” his eyebrow quirks up because of the unusual middle name.

“It was my Mom’s name,” Kurt replies quietly, “She died when I was eight and I got it changed just after I transferred to Dalton.”

“I’m…” Blaine starts but Kurt lifts a hand and motions to stop him.

“It’s a long time ago,” he says, voice a little shaky, “I miss her, but… it’s not as hard anymore.”

“And your Dad…”

It hits Blaine then that Kurt’s parents were likely soulmates and Kurt’s Dad is now without his other half, alone in the world without a soulmate. He can’t help but shiver at the idea of losing Kurt, of being alone that way. Then he wonders about fate, about Kurt meeting Blaine just after his Dad got sick and if there are implications, if Kurt’s Dad was only around until Kurt found Blaine. He tries not to let the fear of anything happening show on his face, but when he sees a frown taking over Kurt’s features, he knows he’s failed.

“I’ve thought about it, you know,” Kurt whispers, “In the car on the way here. If Dad’s sickness triggered us finding each other. If destiny knew we would meet and that’s why he got sick. But I don’t know. And even if that’s the case, I promise you now…”

Kurt pauses and reaches across the couch again, offering his hand with the palm up. Blaine meets it with his own and feels Kurt’s fingers tighten.

“...I promise I won’t _ever_ blame you,” Kurt finishes his thought and Blaine breathes out, wondering again how Kurt knew exactly what his fear was, “I know it’s on your mind, but even if anything happens, it’s not your fault.”

“Kurt, I…” Blaine’s voice breaks, and his mind supplies nothing that he could say.

“What’s your middle name?” Kurt asks instead, his hand not letting Blaine’s go.

“D-devon,” the name comes out with a stutter, Blaine’s mind still reeling from the exchange that Kurt veered away from.

“Blaine Devon Anderson,” Kurt smiles, “It sounds good.”

“It sounds preppy,” Blaine grumbles, because that’s what he’s heard from his classmates before.

“I like preppy,” Kurt responds with a chuckle, “Remember, I’m a prep school kid?”

Blaine’s mind fogs up a little when the image of Kurt in the blazer he’s seen in photos before crosses his mind and puts the blush back into his face.

“I bet you looked dashing in the blazer,” he says, smiling softly.

Kurt groans a little instead but doesn’t frown when he rolls his eyes.

“The polyester pants were a menace,” he says, “Though the blazers had their advantages. And disadvantages, because I was kept away from _real_ fashion. You’d have fit right in, though.”

Blaine ducks his head to the papers in front of him again, a smile playing on his lips for a moment, until he reads the title of the next section.

“Safewords,” he hears Kurt read out moments later and freezes.


	7. Safe Words

It’s a topic Blaine’s been afraid of before he even ran into Kurt earlier that day. He knows the importance of safewords, of course, knows they need to be put in place for the protection of both people in the relationship. But he also knows, less from the classes in school and more from various stories he’s heard, how much weight they carry. If Kurt was to ask, Blaine would tell him that despite the assumption of being a dominant, he’s already played with the idea of what his safewords would be. He’s sure that it wouldn’t cross Kurt’s mind though, and wonders if he should bring it up or keep it to himself.

“There _is_ the generic set of words we could technically use,” Kurt speaks when Blaine remains silent, “The traffic light system?”

Blaine feels Kurt’s gaze on him before he looks up from the paper. Once he does, his fingers tighten around Kurt’s hand without control.

“What is it, Blaine?” Kurt asks, eyes wide with concern.

“Nothing,” Blaine shakes his head, “it’s just, this feels…”

He’s not sure how to explain that setting up the contract feels like their bond is more solid.

“It feels more real, doesn’t it?” Kurt asks and Blaine nods because those were the words he was looking for.

“I know there are other things…” his voice trails off for a moment, the implication of what he’s just said making both of them blush, “This is kind of, official, I guess.”

“It won’t be until we both sign it,” Kurt smiles and squeezes Blaine’s hand, “But yes, this will make it more complicated for either of us to leave easily. It adds a layer to the existing bond, even if it’s technically just a piece of paper with a few words with it.”

Blaine keeps his eyes on Kurt’s, still wondering, still looking for something that he’s afraid he’ll see. But he sees no hesitation in the blue eyes, no doubts.

“Blaine, we can wait,” Kurt offers and something in Blaine jolts, “If you’re not ready, if you need a little more time to adjust… I mean, I understand that it’s a surprise…”

There’s a note of pain in Kurt’s tone and Blaine immediately chastises himself for causing it. He shakes his head urgently, keen on letting Kurt know that he’s ready now, that he wants this, wants everything that comes with their bond.

“No, I mean, yes, I mean…” he stutters, his mind stumbling over what the correct answer is, “I’m ready. I don’t want to wait.”

It’s a decidedly final statement, Blaine’s voice strong and solid, hesitation giving way to the need to wipe any potential pain away. He feels relief when the only further questioning from Kurt comes in the form of a raised eyebrow but no more doubting or reassurances. He _is_ sure, but he’s just as likely to get talked out of feeling that way, nudged into hesitating for reasons that he already knows would be all wrong.

“I’ve actually considered words,” Blaine speaks up when Kurt looks back to the contract, “In classes, when they were mentioned, I wondered what I would choose if I needed them.”

“Oh?” Kurt looks back to Blaine with curiosity written all over his face, “Would you like to use those?”

“I’m not sure, because,” Blaine takes a breath, bites his lip and then looks to Kurt, “I don’t know how _you_ would feel about one of them.”

“Well, I won’t know until you tell me,” Kurt says calmly, then smirks, “Unless it’s something like _Gaga_ or _neon_ , because the first one might not register and the other is likely to make me run for the hills in fright. Neon colors should never have gone past being on highlighter markers or Post-Its.”

Blaine can’t help but laugh with relief that Kurt is so far not making all this too technical or strictly business-like. It’s reassuring that even through a serious conversation, they both can still breathe easily and joke around.

“It’s,” Blaine takes a deep breath, “ _Dalton_ , actually, for a full stop.”

He watches as Kurt’s eyes widen in surprise and Blaine doesn’t have to wait too long for the inevitable question.

“Why Dalton?”

Blaine sighs and thinks for a while before he finds the words to explain his choice.

“It’s always been a ‘no’ word for me,” he glances to Kurt, “I’ve mentioned that Dad wanted to send me there after the dance, but it’s always felt like I was running away.”

It immediately hits him how the words might be interpreted and he doesn’t miss the shadow that flashes across Kurt’s face, so he rushes to finish the explanation.

“I know it wouldn’t have been running away,” he speaks quickly, “that it would’ve been taking myself out of a dangerous situation. But I was fifteen and stubborn as a mule. And ridiculously eager to prove to myself more than anyone else that I could handle it. I still transferred, still walked away from the really bad and still wasn’t completely myself at McKinley, so I didn’t do anything that differently. But Dalton has ingrained itself in my mind as a place I didn’t want to go to. So I associate it with ‘no’.”

Kurt doesn’t say anything for a while and Blaine’s mind flips between panic and the feeling that he’s already messed up, both of which lead to the temptation to leave. He _could_ right now, the option is there for him as always, to walk away and not look back. The nagging voice at the back of his head unhelpfully supplies self-doubt and the hisses of ‘not good enough’ that Blaine’s warred with before.

Walking away would mean being alone, though. He knows he’d be fine in school, because no one knows yet about Kurt. Blaine wouldn’t be required to let anyone know that he’d bonded, that for a few amazing hours, he had a soulmate. It would also probably feel like giving up, and like having a half of himself ripped apart. But most importantly, he can’t stop the guilt he feels at the possibility of disappointing. Of hurting Kurt in any way.

“That,” Kurt’s voice cuts through the silence and makes Blaine jump, since he’s been silent until Kurt spoke, “It would actually work, I think.”

Blaine’s eyes widen in shock when Kurt’s words reach his ears. He’s expected a lot of things, but for Kurt to agree and approve of the safeword was most definitely not one of them.

“Are you…” he loses his voice again for a moment and clears his throat to speak again, “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously,” Kurt’s voice rings with a quiet chuckle, “If it’s something that would work for you, I won’t mind or be offended. Dalton isn’t _running away_ , as you said, it’s finding a safe place. And for me, the danger was, according to my Dad, enough that I needed to go. Now,” Blaine moves his hand so they can link their fingers together when Kurt nudges it, “Did you have any idea for a slowing down safeword? I would really like to have both in place, because not only do the materials advise to do that, but also because I know sometimes slowing down is necessary, but doesn’t always mean a required full stop.”

“Yeah, me too,” Blaine blurts, then shakes his head to clear it, “I mean, I’d like to have that too. Maybe one that could be a sort of a warning? Something to press pause but figure out why it was necessary to do that?”

“I’m guessing you’ll be told this in classes, but that’s usually the case,” Kurt explains, “If a safeword is called, there’s usually a discussion on why it happened.”

Blaine nods, appreciating the explanation.

“Would you use the same ones as me?” he asks with curiosity.

He’s heard of Doms who insist on a separate safeword, one specifically for themselves when they think a submissive is not safewording even though they want to, when their own limits are crossed or when they feel a scene isn’t going well. The idea feels foreign and detached to him and somehow, having Kurt use the one Blaine picked means more than if he’d decided to choose one of his own.

“If you wouldn’t mind,” Kurt asks and then grins as Blaine shakes his head vigorously, “Let’s get back to the pausing one, do you have a suggestion?”

Blaine watches as Kurt writes down the first word on his contract in neat script and it’s almost distracting enough that he forgets to answer Kurt.

“ _Slushee_ ,” he eventually blurts out, “It was because of it being cold and it always reminded me of a cold rain shower, or being tossed into cold water. They might work the other way around, but I’ve always liked the idea of the pausing safeword to mean ‘cooling off’.”

“I love that,” Kurt now laughs openly, “The way you reasoned it out is absolutely spot on.”

“Thank you,” Blaine blushes and scribbles down the words onto his page while Kurt writes down the other word across the couch from Blaine.

They both lose themselves in reading the rules under which the safeword is used and Blaine glances to Kurt when his eyes catch on the word ‘punishment’. Kurt’s not reacting, though, so Blaine ducks his head again and keeps reading,

“Blaine?” Kurt tears him out of his musings, “Is there anything else you’d like to talk about before we sign the basics?”

Blaine shakes his head, his mind set on wanting to solidify their bond with the contract. He wants this to be official, for more than just possessive reasons. There’s a little sliver of worry that he can’t seem to silence, making him wonder if he’ll be able to be a submissive, face the bullies in the school and come out unscathed.

“Are you okay?” he hears Kurt ask and then the papers are pulled from Blaine’s knees and a warmth radiates from Kurt’s body right next to Blaine.

“I don’t know if I can do this, if I’m good enough,” Blaine whispers so quietly that he’s not sure Kurt can even hear him.

When he feels Kurt tensing next to him, he realizes the words were just loud enough. He feels guilt wash over him, anger at himself for being weak and doubtful.

“Blaine…” Kurt breathes out, but doesn’t move.

For a while, they just sit there and Blaine is trying hard to breathe steadily. He’s close to running off, panic slowly seeping through him as the seconds tick away on the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. He wonders how much more time he has, before Kurt walks away. Blaine didn’t mean his words as a rejection, as a ‘no’ to the contract, but he can see how they could be taken that way. When he hears Kurt take a deep breath, he braces himself for the coldness of a broken bond.

“On your knees,” Kurt says instead and Blaine freezes at first.

_He said he wouldn’t_ , he thinks, but then slides off the couch and kneels on the ground next to it.

“Look up at me,” comes the next order and Blaine’s eyes shoot up.

It’s not like he has much control over that, Kurt’s orders tug on something deep inside him that he has never known he had. The bond between them is almost tangible now, like a real string between them.

Their eyes meet and Blaine can feel the sting of tears in his, though they’re stopped when he sees the determination in Kurt’s eyes. There’s a steadiness in them that Blaine didn’t expect, but it immediately makes him feel safer, protected. Even cared for, in a way that he doesn’t quite understand yet.

“If you don’t _want to_ do this,” Kurt speaks up, bringing his hand to Blaine’s cheek and cupping his jaw gently, “I’ll understand. If you need time to figure that out, it’s okay, Blaine, but you need to tell me.”

Blaine’s eyes sting again at the earnestness in Kurt’s tone, the softness of it.

“But when it comes to you thinking you _can’t_ , that you doubt yourself and how you can be _good_ ,” Kurt smiles, “You already are, sweetheart.”

The use of the pet name makes something inside Blaine click and he lets out the breath he suddenly realizes he’s holding. It’s a caress, something that fits so perfectly, though it never crossed his mind before.

“Look at you,” Kurt continues, “You already respond to what I tell you to do, even though we’ve only met today. Even if you might have doubts,” he pauses, “and those will happen for multiple reasons, this is something you shouldn’t doubt. You’re already amazing like this, sweetheart, and it can only get better from here.”

Blaine feels Kurt’s thumb brush over his cheek and the dampness registers. He hasn’t realized he’s crying, but the tears fall and it’s a strange relief, like he’s letting out something he’s held on to for way too long.

“We won’t push any further right now, okay?” Kurt asks and Blaine nods reluctantly, the urge to sign the contracts nudging at his brain, “If you’d like, we can sign now,” Kurt nods towards the pile of papers on the coffee table, “But only if you’re really okay with it now. If you need time, please tell me.”

The _please_ softens the order a little, but Blaine’s body still responds to it like it’s not only a suggestion.

“I would like to sign those,” he pauses and blinks, the draws a breath and lets his mind relax into what it’s craving, “sir.”

It’s tacked on to the end of what he says like an afterthought, but calling Kurt ‘sir’ is what Blaine knows he needs in the moment. Saying it out loud feels like the final acknowledgment of their designation and something that breaks the barrier of doubt in Blaine’s mind. He keeps his eyes locked on Kurt’s, the hesitation seeping out of his body.

_I can be good, I can make him happy_ , Blaine thinks and his body relaxes, _I can be Kurt’s._

“Yes you can, sweetheart,” Kurt chuckles lightly and makes Blaine realize he said the last part out loud, “It would be an honor if you’d agree to be mine.”

“Please,” Blaine mutters, but his lips are already turning up into a smile.

He feels warm and cared for, safe even though the only part of him Kurt is touching is his jaw. But it’s the contact he needs to have reassurance. Between that and the expression in Kurt’s face, the amused but not condescending smile, Blaine starts feeling like he’s floating on water.

“Sweetheart?” Kurt’s voice reaches him through the fog he’s falling into, “Come back to me, please.”


	8. Free Falling

It’s a little unnerving, to surface from the mindspace he’s fallen into moments earlier, but Blaine manages to suppress the panic. He blinks a few times and can’t help the little jolt of surprise when it registers that he’s on his knees next to Kurt’s leg.

“Now that you’re with me again,” Kurt smiles, “Would you like to sign these? Then maybe…”

Blaine waits for the rest of the thought, but it doesn’t come, Kurt’s bottom lip in the firm grip of his teeth, his cheeks flooded with redness.

“Maybe what?” Blaine asks, curious about what Kurt was thinking.

“If you’d need or want some more reassurance, we could.” Kurt keeps blushing, but to Blaine’s relief, he’s stopped biting his lip. “I mean, I’ve got no idea what I… we…” There’s a pause, and then Kurt shakes his head again, “I’m not really sure _how_ I could help, but we can figure something out.”

Blaine’s curiosity remains since Kurt really didn’t explain anything. His mind wanders for a moment, but he soon realizes that it’s a little too overwhelming.

“Yeah, yes, of course,” he nods and glances to the coffee table with the contracts, then back to Kurt. “Can I, I mean is it okay if I…?”

Kurt seems to only then realize that Blaine is waiting to be told to stand up, or at least to check with Kurt if he can.

“Oh god, yes, of course,” Kurt blurts out and looks flustered, which Blaine immediately files under ‘adorable, make him look like that again’ in his mind. “I didn’t think you’d… I mean, I thought it would help in the moment, but…”

At that, Kurt pales even more and his eyes open wide in panic.

“I promised you I wouldn’t ask,” he whispers, “I told you I won’t expect you to kneel, but…”

Blaine scrambles up off the floor and sits next to Kurt on the couch again, immediately reaching out to join their hands.

“Kurt, no,” he says with urgency, “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not, I said…”

“I know what you said,” Blaine stops Kurt, then looks to the floor as he continues, “I know you said you wouldn’t expect me to kneel. But Kurt, I needed that. And I might need it again, occasionally.”

When he looks to Kurt’s face again, he’s met with a surprised expression and a quirked eyebrow.

“Even earlier, I was tempted to sit on the floor next to your legs, even if you didn’t ask me to,” Blaine rambles on. “I know you said you’re not going to ask me to, normally, but it feels right. It feels like I’m yours.”

He sees Kurt breathe out and relax, the grip on Blaine’s hand a little less strong than moments ago.

“Thank you,” comes the reaction from Kurt eventually, his lips slowly turning up into a smile, “I’m sorry for panicking.”

“Someone told me earlier that we can figure things out together.” Blaine smirks and Kurt laughs quietly in response. “I think that someone was very wise.”

“Flattery, Mr. Anderson?” Kurt jokes, “Now, what is it that you’re trying to charm your way into?”

Blaine blushes and glances towards the forms on the table, then watches as Kurt hands him the pile Blaine’s been filling out. They both give their pages another quick read-through, but before Kurt even looks up from his, Blaine is reaching for a pen and holds it to the line where his name should be signed.

He hesitates, though only for a second, then looks to Kurt who’s mirroring Blaine’s position, pen in hand and on the paper.

“Together?” Blaine asks and breaks the silence.

“Together,” Kurt nods and his eyes turn down to the paper, his hand moving immediately.

Blaine writes out his signature and then, without any more words, they switch the papers and Blaine signs his name one more time.

“So, now we’re official,” he says, handing Kurt the contracts to leave on the table.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Kurt smirks, “Have you sneakily changed your Facebook status yet?”

“And face the Spanish inquisition?” Blaine frowns, “No, thank you, I can quite live without that.”

“You’ll have to tell your friends soon, though.” There’s a smile but also a tinge of worry in Kurt’s tone.

“It’s only Puck and Quinn I’d want to talk to about this,” Blaine waves his hand between Kurt and him, still frowning, “I do wonder, too, if it will put an unnecessary target on your back.”

“I’d say there is one on me already,” Kurt shrugs, but Blaine can see he’s not as nonchalant about it as he’s trying to look. “I mean, those idiots I had to put up with before Dalton are still in the school. I’m not holding my breath for them to have, you know, grown up.”

Blaine grumbles, “No, I can unfortunately assure you that they haven’t.”

“We’re in this together, though.” Kurt reaches for Blaine’s hand. “Maybe there’s some hope that they’ll leave us alone. Since the biggest fear of those people usually is that they might be hit on. Not that I ever would; the whole lack of intelligence thing isn’t doing it for me.”

It doesn’t take much for Blaine to decide that he’s already starting to like the snarky side of Kurt, the sarcastic deadpan tone that he’s just used for the last comment.

“We can cross that bridge when we come to it,” Blaine says with a little shakiness in his voice.

There are no guarantees, he knows, in how the school will react to their bonding. He knows the previous ones went fine, no one batted an eyelid when Tina and Mike came from summer camp bonded, nor when Mr. Shuester and Ms. Pillsbury’s bonding became public knowledge. In their year and below, there are still less people bonded than not, though, and there definitely are no gay couples that he’d be aware of. _Of course_ , he thinks, _they might just not be public_. It is an option, but it’s very hard to keep a bonding secret, so he doubts there is anyone but them.

“Yeah,” Kurt nods and shifts a little on the couch, closer to Blaine.

Silence occupies the room for a moment and Blaine debates whether he should play piano some more. But before he can suggest it, he feels Kurt’s fingers twitch against his and he looks to his soulmate with an unspoken question in his eyes. They’re close, the distance between them shorter than Blaine expected when he looked over, and he can’t help but glance down to Kurt’s lips.

“Blaine, can I…?” Kurt speaks up, then pauses, and Blaine watches as his tongue darts out to lick his lips, “I’d like to kiss you again, if that’s okay with you?”

“You don’t have to ask,” Blaine breathes out, the butterflies in his stomach making an appearance.

“I’d rather ask, for now,” Kurt smiles.

When Blaine sees Kurt’s tongue again, his brain fogs up, imagination worthy of a teenage boy takes over and he doesn’t even blush when his mouth opens to speak.

“Please, kiss me?”

The words are barely out when Blaine feels Kurt’s lips on his, both boys’ fingers lying on his knee, still intertwined. Kurt’s other hand wraps around Blaine’s jaw and tilts his head up as they deepen the kiss. Blaine shivers when Kurt’s tongue runs over his bottom lip and his mouth opens, inviting Kurt to lead the kiss. There is no hesitation, no doubts about this as Blaine tries to breathe and already feels the cottony-soft fog taking over his mind. Yet again, it feels like he’s in free-fall, everything around him blurred and muffled. The only things his mind can focus on clearly are Kurt’s lips and hands on his skin.

He comes up for air when his back hits the couch, and for a moment he’s disoriented, because he didn’t realize he was falling backwards. Kurt has moved with Blaine’s fall and is now leaning over Blaine, eyes wide and cheeks filled with a blush. There’s a moment where Blaine wonders if it should feel strange and maybe a little uncomfortable simply because he’s never done anything like this, but he doesn’t dwell on it. Having Kurt’s body above him seems right, comforting. Blaine moves and lifts his legs up on the couch and then Kurt follows, letting go of Blaine’s hand so he can hold himself up above Blaine.

“Hi,” Kurt smiles, the blush deepening while he shifts some more.

“Hey,” Blaine says and tries to keep his eyes open.

There’s a ‘please’ and a ‘more’ at the tip of his tongue, along with a wish that Kurt would let his body drop on top of Blaine’s, but Blaine hesitates.

_Is it okay to ask? Is it too much?_ his mind buzzes while his eyes scan Kurt’s face for answers, even though he didn’t ask any questions out loud. _I want to feel you on me, want to let go_.

His own thoughts are overwhelming him and he tenses up a little, warring with himself whether to speak or let Kurt take the lead and only follow.

“Blaine?” Kurt’s voice reaches Blaine’s ears through the fog that’s slowly fading as the worries and questions keep coming, “Are you okay?”

Blaine doesn’t nod immediately, doesn’t answer either, but then sees Kurt’s frown and almost panics that he’s already messing up. Kurt brushes his hand over Blaine’s jaw and the effect is immediately calming, but Blaine still has questions that he isn’t quite sure how to ask. Or if he _can_.

“What are you thinking?” Kurt asks, then seems to realize it will take something else to give Blaine a nudge to speak, “Tell me, sweetheart. I have no way to know unless you talk to me.”

The pet name and the order work like magic. Blaine relaxes under Kurt and his breathing evens out.

“I’m okay,” he says, trying to keep his voice steady, but even he knows it’s not working, “I just… I don’t know how to ask… or if I can.”

“Blaine, you can always ask if you want or need anything,” Kurt’s answer comes quickly, followed by another brush of his fingers against Blaine’s cheek, “I can only give you what you need if I know what it is. So please, tell me.”

Kurt’s eyes stay locked on Blaine’s as he waits for Blaine’s words.

“Please kiss me again,” Blaine breathes out.

He wants to ask for more, but he hesitates again, because he doesn’t want to make Kurt uncomfortable by asking for too much, too soon. When Kurt leans down and presses his lips against Blaine’s, it’s not enough, though. Blaine squirms, trying to enjoy the kiss, but his body is craving more.

“Blaine,” Kurt says with a more stern tone and a frown on his forehead when he pulls away, “That wasn’t what you wanted to ask for, was it?”

Shaking his head, Blaine tries to duck his face out of Kurt’s line of sight, but he’s stopped by the hold that Kurt’s hand has on him. He looks up, meeting Kurt’s eyes, and finally pushes through his doubt.

“No,” he whispers, “Well, yes, but not all of it.”

“I’ll only say it one more time now, sweetheart,” Kurt’s voice carries the stern and commanding tone, but Blaine can hear a hint of fondness too, “I want you to tell me. If you’re worrying about what is too much, we can figure it out together. Don’t make decisions for me, not about this.”

“Okay,” Blaine replies, letting the words settle in, “I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize,” Kurt smiles, “We’re both learning. But we do need to talk, at least for now. I can’t read your mind, but I know there is something you want to ask for. Stop stalling, sweetheart.”

Blaine squirms once more, takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a second. When he opens them, Kurt is looking at him, waiting.

“I want to feel you on top of me,” rushes from Blaine’s lips, “I mean, your weight, you… I’d like it if you didn’t hold yourself up.”

Kurt’s eyes widen, and Blaine immediately bites his lip with worry. But Kurt told him to speak and he’s said it now; there’s no way to rewind and take the words back. He’s about to tell Kurt to forget it when he feels Kurt’s body slowly settling down against his, the weight, what little of it there is, pressing Blaine into the couch gently.

“Like this?” Kurt asks with a smile playing on his lips.

“Thank you,” Blaine manages to say before Kurt’s mouth is claiming Blaine’s again.

The weight of Kurt’s body and the kiss are enough to make Blaine feel like he’s floating again. The cotton wool feeling returns; his limbs are loose and he’s not sure he can move them even if he wanted to. He feels like he’s wrapped in a protective blanket, warm and secure. But under the surface of that, he feels something else stirring, a _want_ of a kind that he’s only ever felt in dreams, especially those that had him waking up in the morning feeling more alone than ever. While he isn’t sure his hands would even try to do what he wants them to, the urge to touch Kurt is strong. He can almost feel the way heat is coming off of Kurt’s skin, how it would be to run the tips of his fingers over Kurt’s shirt, maybe dip below and find out if his skin is as soft elsewhere as Kurt’s hands are.

_I should ask, tell him_ , Blaine thinks but since his lips are otherwise occupied, he tries to push the thought away.

It only lasts until there’s a weight on his wrists and they’re pushed into the armrest of the couch, Kurt’s fingers wrapped around them and holding him down. His eyes open slowly, and he gasps when Kurt pulls his mouth away.

“Your hands…” Kurt starts, but seems lost for words, “I… they were…”

Blaine realizes that he must have been touching Kurt, that it wasn’t just his imagination.

“I’m sorry, I…” he mumbles and then notices that Kurt’s not paying attention too well, a panicky look in his face, which immediately makes Blaine concerned, “Kurt, what’s wrong?”

The question gets Kurt’s attention and their eyes meet, Kurt’s still wide, like he’s shocked, but Blaine can’t figure out why.

“I shouldn’t have,” Kurt starts talking but then gulps, and his fingers loosen where they’re still holding Blaine’s wrists down, “I just held you down like this and I’m sorry. It’s not… we should talk first…”

“In the interest of full disclosure,” Blaine smiles shyly, understanding now that Kurt thinks he crossed lines, “I really, _really_ don’t mind this,” he says and wriggles his fingers a little.

That seems to do what Blaine intended it to: it makes Kurt relax and breathe easily again. The hold on Blaine’s wrists tightens and something flashes across Kurt’s face, then a smirk appears on his kiss-reddened lips.

“Do you?” Kurt asks and it’s clear to Blaine that Kurt’s stopped worrying, “We’ll definitely talk about that later. For now, though,” he lets go of Blaine’s arms and pushes himself up, “I think we should take a break for a little bit.”

Blaine almost pouts but manages to keep a blank face. Instead, he shifts until he’s sitting on the couch cross-legged again, his back against the armrest. He looks to Kurt curiously, wondering if they’re going to talk about what happened or things that it implies. There’s nothing Blaine feels like he could add to a discussion besides that, _rather obviously_ , he thinks while shifting to get comfortable, he did enjoy the show of control, small as it was. It turns out that Kurt isn’t that keen on starting that conversation yet either.

“Will you play for me some more, please?” Kurt asks and there’s no way Blaine can resist the look in his soulmate’s face.


	9. Friendships Tested

The drive to school the next morning is a mixture of excitement, nervous anticipation and pure terror for Blaine. He knows, logically, that there’s not much he should fear, that the only people they’ll need to talk to about their bonding are the principal and the guidance counselor, Miss Pillsbury. But at the same time, Blaine is sure that Puck will notice the change in him, subtle as it may be, and that he’ll ask questions. And once Puck knows, Quinn will know, given their current… whatever they have.

He can’t help but think back on the evening before, after Kurt asked him to play more songs. Blaine was distracted while he played, not only by the warmth of Kurt’s hands on his shoulders since Kurt insisted on standing behind Blaine, but also by the thoughts of how he felt when Kurt’s lips were on his, when Kurt was on top of him and was holding him down.

_There were some songs that he played because he asked Kurt for his favorites, but most of them were ones that felt right. A few songs in, he turned around in the chair and looked up to Kurt, his body throbbing with anticipation and fighting the urge to stand up and kiss Kurt again. He didn’t, though, because the need to kiss wasn’t stronger than the want to show Kurt that he can be good, that he can wait._

Blaine knows nothing will measure up to the very first kiss, but there are other firsts to cross off, to explore and discover. There _were_ more kisses last night, until Kurt’s phone buzzed with a text message and Blaine grudgingly let his newly found soulmate and Dom go. The first night, as Blaine expected, wasn’t easy, his body adjusting along with his mind to the feeling of being anchored without Kurt being present.

Even now, as he’s riding into the school’s parking lot, he feels like he’s torn in half: one part of him settled and feeling safe because of the bond, the other aching in a way he doesn’t know how to handle. He knows that every cell of him is craving Kurt on some level, but at the same time he still has the urge to fight the submissiveness on the level of public perception. Not that he has ever _started_ fights or arguments, but he never shied away from them either, always standing up for himself and his friends if there was a need for it. And today, he isn’t sure if there will be.

“Yo, Anderson,” Puck calls out to Blaine the moment his bike is at a standstill and his helmet is off.

“Puckerman,” Blaine replies just loud enough for Puck to hear.

“So what’s new?”

It’s not an unusual question from Puck, Blaine knows this, but this morning it’s a loaded one. He freezes and tugs on his T-shirt, then looks down to the gravel surface of the parking lot.

“Blaine?”

The softer, more caring tone doesn’t come from Puck but from Quinn. Blaine’s eyes snap up in surprise because he didn’t notice her before she spoke up, since she’s just getting out of her car on the other side of Puck’s bike.

_She knows_ , he thinks and attempts to understand how she does, but he comes up empty.

The explanation comes fast, though.

“Was it the new kid you were in the choir room with yesterday?” she asks, no malice or accusations in her voice, just curiosity.

He nods, still unsure how to say more and what exactly to say.

“Is that why you dragged me off to the bleachers, Q?” Puck turns away from Blaine and towards Quinn, a frown appearing on his face.

“I figured they needed privacy,” Quinn shrugs with a smile, “First meeting is hardly the time for an audience.”

“First meeting?” Puck lifts an eyebrow when he glances back to Blaine, “Did you play welcome committee, B? Figured you’d get in there before the closeted idiots pounce on him?”

Blaine blanches and looks away from Puck, with a brief glance to Quinn, mouthing a ‘please’ to her, though he cannot put in words what he’s asking her for. All he knows is that he’s suddenly tense, and the anchored feeling he had on the drive to school is unraveling.

“Shut up, Noah,” Quinn snaps to Puck, and Blaine doesn’t have to look to his friends to know that Puck’s jaw has dropped.

The first name only ever gets pulled out on occasions when Quinn is about to smack Puck, or at the very least yell him down for something. Blaine feels a little warmth returning to his body with the knowledge that she’s doing this for him, that she’s aware of how unsettled and worried Blaine is.

“You bonded,” Puck states moments later, though Blaine still won’t look up to see the expression in Puck’s face, knowing there is more to say. “Good for you for getting an order to work in your favor.”

_He doesn’t know_ , Blaine reminds himself when the cold feeling and tension wash over him again, _he assumes like everyone else._

Knowing that Puck and Quinn’s eyes are on him even though he’s not looking at them, Blaine shakes his head and keeps scuffing his shoes against the gravel. It will be enough for Puck to understand, and Quinn seems to have caught on already, so all he has to do is to wait for the fallout.

“No?” Puck sounds confused when his voice reaches Blaine’s ears, “New kid is?”

Blaine glances up just as Quinn nods to answer Puck. Neither of them is looking in Blaine’s direction, and he feels the urge to use that and walk away. Or drive away. But he is supposed to meet Kurt here, and though it was only in a playful way when Blaine panicked a little last night, Kurt still _ordered_ Blaine to be in school. Which, logically, Blaine knows is something good, because they do want to talk to Miss Pillsbury soon. But right now, with Puck’s reaction undetermined, Blaine wants to be just about anywhere else.

“But you were supposed to be…” Puck looks to Blaine, frowning, “And the new kid…”

“Kurt,” Blaine whispers, “His name is Kurt.”

He watches as Puck’s face shows recognition when the name slips from Blaine’s lips. _This can’t be good_ , Blaine thinks and soon gets his answer.

“Hummel?” Puck sounds shocked, but not angry, “Little Hummel is a Dom? Whoa.”

“You know him?” Blaine asks, eyes narrowing at Puck.

“Yeah, I…”

It’s only when Quinn walks to stand between Puck and Blaine and puts her hand on Blaine’s shoulder that any of them realizes that Blaine is starting to shake.

“There’s history, from middle school…” Puck says cautiously.

Blaine’s mind flashes with anger when the words connect to what Kurt has told him about the bullying and why he had to transfer to Dalton. It doesn’t take much for Blaine to understand that Puck was one of those people.

“Look, I’m sorry, man,” Puck steps back, his eyes darting between Blaine and Quinn, who’s still standing between the boys.

“Don’t,” Blaine snarls, his teeth clenched firmly together, “Just don’t, Noah.”

He knows he’s tense and his fists are balled, but he doesn’t want to get into a fight with his best friend. Quinn looks to him, and Blaine narrows his eyes, not wanting any pity or excuses for Puck. But none of that is in Quinn’s face; the only things Blaine can read are concern and annoyance when she glances to Puck for a moment.

“I just didn’t expect…” Puck starts and sighs, “You can’t say you’re not surprised, B.”

“I was,” Blaine replies, his voice still showing a trace of anger because of Puck’s implied revelation of the past, “I was hoping you would be one of those who wouldn’t judge. Or look at me differently.”

“I’m not, man, I swear,” Puck lifts his hand in a defensive move, “I’m more surprised Hummelina is…”

“Shut _up_!” Blaine snaps, “Don’t fucking call him that!”

He steps around Quinn and doesn’t stop until he’s inches away from Puck, anger flaring through his body, fists still balled up. Puck still has his hands raised, palms to Blaine, and his face turns into an apologetic expression almost immediately.

“Sorry, sorry, I won’t, _jesus_ B, cool it,” he stammers, then takes a step backwards.

“Look, Puck, I don’t care,” Blaine says, his voice steadier, “The fact is, Kurt is my soulmate. He’s the Dominant. It’s a mindfuck, yes, but it is what it is. I’d appreciate if you remembered that your bullying bullshit doesn’t fly with me.”

“You _know_ how I was,” Puck sighs, “If it wasn’t for you, I’d probably be back in juvie. It’s not easy to let go of the image I’ve had of him since middle school. I haven’t seen him since he transferred to the prissy school.”

“Get on it, then,” Blaine rolls his eyes, “And you’re forgetting the _prissy_ school is where I was supposed to go.”

“But you didn’t want to,” Puck tries to protest, but is quickly shut up by Quinn’s hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll talk to you at lunch,” Blaine grumbles in Puck’s direction, but his eyes are turned to his bike, “If you think you can be civil and not an asshole.”

There’s a pause, and then Blaine hears the sound of Puck’s boots on the gravel, fading as his friend walks towards the football field. He expects Quinn to follow, but when he finishes locking up his bike and getting his bag, Quinn is still standing there, leaning against Puck’s bike. Her eyebrow is raised, her expression curious, and Blaine doesn’t miss the teasing smirk playing on her lips.

“What do you want, Q?” he sighs, stepping closer.

“I’m curious,” she smiles sweetly, but without malice, “How was your first kiss, B?”

“Fuck off,” Blaine spats, his shoulders tensing.

“Oh come _on_ , it’s girl talk,” Quinn laughs.

She walks over to him and bumps her shoulder against his, then looks at him, and the teasing smile disappears from her face.

“I’m sorry, B,” she says, “For Puck, too. He can be an asshole, but he’s getting better, you know? We both know where he would be without you knocking some sense into him. And road-blocking his hotheaded ways.”

“I know,” Blaine says quietly, “I just heard enough about middle school, that…”

“They were rough,” Quinn nods, “Not physically, then, but it couldn’t have been easy on Kurt. I got the same shit in elementary, then transferred in middle school and changed myself to stop it, to not give anyone a reason to target me. You’d know about that, though, wouldn’t you?”

Blaine turns to her, surprised, because Quinn has not talked about being from somewhere else originally; he’s always assumed she was a part of the same group her whole life. He nods to her comment about changing, because he’s done the same, to protect himself. Not that he regrets it - it kept him out of harm’s way - but it’s still a mask. One that he will likely have to keep up for the rest of the school, even if he can let it slip in front of Quinn. He leans against her shoulder a little and she laughs softly, nudging his side with her elbow.

“You two look cozy,” interrupts their moment, and Blaine feels his body reacting immediately at the sound of Kurt’s voice.

He immediately shifts away from Quinn and glances to Kurt, who is walking up to them from behind Quinn’s car.

“Fabray,” Kurt nods to Quinn with a tense smile, then immediately seeks out Blaine’s eyes, “Hi, Blaine.”

“Kurt,” Quinn replies to the greeting, then smiles. “Be good to him,” she says to Kurt, then nods to both of them and walks in the direction of the football field.

“So, how did that go?” Kurt asks the moment she’s out of earshot, his eyes scanning Blaine’s face.

“Okay,” Blaine shrugs and knows immediately that he doesn’t sound convincing.

“Sweetheart,” Kurt’s voice has a hint of a warning in it, and Blaine feels the apology building at the back of his mind immediately, but Kurt continues, “don’t lie to me. What happened?”

Blaine bites his lip first, trying to swallow the apology because he senses that it’s not what Kurt is waiting to hear. The concern in his Dom’s voice is obvious, and Blaine doesn’t want Kurt to worry unnecessarily.

“Puck told me,” Blaine starts and shivers, relaxing when Kurt’s hand finds his and their fingers link, “He mentioned middle school and that he knew you. He’s…”

“...one of the assholes who bullied me? Yes,” Kurt finishes when Blaine pauses, “He was there when I got locker checked that first day here.”

A growl reaches Blaine’s ears, and it takes a moment for him to realize that he was the one letting it out. His fingers tense around Kurt’s, and for a second he contemplates chasing down Puck.

“It’s a long time ago, though,” Kurt speaks up again, “I figured he’s not quite as bad anymore since you’re friends with him. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

Blaine sighs, wishing he could tell Kurt that Puck has changed, like he wishes the other bullies in the school weren’t as bad as Kurt remembers them. But he knows he can’t, not entirely.

“He’s better,” Blaine says instead, “He hasn’t beaten anyone up since I got here. Hasn’t been to juvie again either, so that’s progress.”

“How has he taken the news?” Kurt asks and glances to their linked hands.

“I’m not sure,” Blaine frowns, “Surprised, I guess. Quinn’s been good about it.”

“So I saw,” Kurt laughs, “I have a feeling I’ll have a very angry Fabray on my hands if I mess this up. She’s … protective.”

“We look out for each other,” Blaine nods, “I’d do the same for her. I did, actually, with Puck, when they hooked up one of the times and it didn’t go that well.”

“Black eye?” Kurt smirks, the tension in the air almost completely gone.

“Bruised rib,” Blaine admits, “His _and_ mine. We took it into the boxing ring that day.”

“I’ll want to hear more about that,” Kurt chuckles, “Not only about you taking down Puckerman, but… boxing?”

Blaine smiles, finally relaxed again, “I had to be able to take care of myself,” he shrugs, “But fight club, can’t talk about it.”

Kurt glances around the blissfully empty parking lot and then leans over to Blaine, their lips brushing against each other’s briefly, sending shivers down Blaine’s spine.

“Okay,” Kurt pulls his hand away from Blaine’s, “Shall we go find Miss Pillsbury?”

The emptiness of not holding hands with Kurt runs through Blaine, but he nods, waiting for Kurt to lead the way into the school. He knows there’s no need to call attention to themselves, even if only a few people are already in the halls, but at the same time, he can’t help the desire to be _Kurt’s_ , openly. When Kurt glances back over his shoulder and smiles, though, it fills the void somehow.

_It’s another bridge we’ll cross when we come to it_ , Blaine thinks, following Kurt towards the guidance counselor’s office.


	10. Trouble Brewing

To Blaine’s surprise, the meeting with Principal Figgins is a short one, though just as awkward as they expected. The basics are covered fast: they bonded, Kurt is Dominant, Blaine is submissive, they haven’t spent that much time together. What does surprise Blaine is that the classes that Kurt had at Dalton regarding dominance do allow him to skip those offered by McKinley. To no one’s surprise, once Principal Figgins mentions who is in charge of classes for both designations, Kurt jumps at the chance to _not_ suffer them. Blaine, however, is required to attend at the very least five of them.

“Is that all?” Kurt wonders out loud when the number of classes is mentioned.

“They’re the basic ones,” comes the explanation from Miss Pillsbury who has been called in to the meeting, “The minimum requirement. There are, of course, more classes being offered, but those aren’t compulsory, and most people choose to explore dominance and submission elsewhere.”

Blaine thinks he can hear Kurt mutter ‘well, no wonder’, but when he looks to his Dom, he sees nothing but a completely calm expression. He would love to skip the classes altogether and have Kurt teach him what he knows, but short of a direct request from Kurt or exceptional circumstances, he can’t. It’s only because of Dalton having them early that Kurt got out of his afternoons being taken over by the classes.

“It’s only a week.” This time Blaine knows he’s not imagining Kurt’s voice, “Then it’s just us.”

When Kurt reaches over to hold Blaine’s hand, there’s no hesitation. Blaine links their fingers together despite the unpleasant look it earns them from Coach Sylvester right as she walks into the room with a slam of the door, making everyone turn to her.

“So where are the newbs?” she asks harshly, “These two? Why am I here for another one of Anderson’s sessions?”

“Coach, please,” the principal starts, but she doesn’t wait for him to explain.

“Wait, is Anderson my newb? And Porcelain over here is…?” she drifts off, expecting to be told Kurt’s name.

“Kurt Hummel, nice to meet you, Coach,” Kurt stands up and looks her straight in the eye and Blaine smiles with a hint of the pride he’s feeling.

“Well, that’s an interesting turn of events,” the coach smirks and grabs the forms that Miss Pillsbury is handing her, quickly looking them over. “Former Dalton kid, are you? You won’t be seeing me then to be put into shape, though I’ve heard they go easy on Doms over there.”

Kurt’s eyes narrow but he doesn’t say a word. Blaine is glad; the coach is not someone he wants to get into an argument with, and even though he’s sure Kurt could stand his ground, Blaine doesn’t want it to come to that. The last thing he needs is to listen to Coach Sylvester rag on him for an hour about how he is a bad influence on his Dominant by being rebellious.

“Anderson only, then?” she asks and when she gets her response by way of a nod from Principal Figgins, she turns to walk away.

Blaine dares to let out the breath he’s been holding, his shoulders sagging in relief, but then he freezes when the coach stops in the door and turns to him.

“I’ll see you in the afternoon, Gel King, hope you’re ready,” she says and then walks straight out.

Blaine is left reeling a little, and if he’s honest with himself, worried about the submission lessons being with Coach Sylvester of all people. But he knows he doesn’t have a choice in the matter, so he doesn’t say anything. When Kurt sits back down and reaches for Blaine’s hand, it’s calming and reassuring, and Blaine breathes easier again. They finish up the rest of the formalities, like Kurt signing off on the lessons he’s had at Dalton after a quick cross-check and a brief phone call from Principal Figgins, and then the boys are ushered out of the office by Miss Pillsbury.

“That wasn’t too bad,” Kurt notes when they head towards Blaine’s locker, having been excused from homeroom.

“I sort of wish I got the same pass as you on the lessons,” Blaine sighs, “Coach isn’t really someone I want to spend too much time around.”

“It’s only five afternoons, though,” Kurt smiles, “Then they’ll be off our backs.”

Blaine doesn’t think twice when Kurt brushes a hand against his cheek, because he assumes the hallways will be empty during first period. The moment he hears the dark snickering from across the otherwise empty space, though, he freezes.

_Fuck no, not yet_ , he groans internally, _this can’t end well_.

“Yo, Anderson!”

The voice is louder than necessary and carries a mocking tone that Blaine has heard before. It’s usually not directed at him, not since the punching incident, but it seems that the small gesture from Kurt was enough to change things. He looks across the hallway and finds proof that he wasn’t mistaken.

“Karofsky.”

It’s a whisper, barely audible to Blaine’s ears, and he’s surprised that it comes from Kurt.

_Fuck, fuck, fuck_ , he thinks, immediately putting together the mentions from Kurt about his one day in the school.

“Him?” Blaine turns to Kurt, panic rising through him.

Kurt’s nod is short and shaky, but Blaine sees the quick change to a completely blank face and doesn’t miss the way Kurt pushes his shoulders back.

There’s no way Kurt is letting Karofsky just attack, no way he’s taking punches. Blaine takes the cue from Kurt and looks back across the hall, where the snickering jock is leaning against a locker.

“Mr. Karofsky, what are you doing in the halls during class?”

Blaine jumps a little when the booming voice rings through the almost empty space and then turns to see Principal Figgins approaching them. Kurt turns too, though more reluctantly, and then accepts the folder the the principal is handing him.

“You forgot your hall passes and your copies of the registration forms,” the principal says.

Kurt and Blaine nod in thanks, and when the principal turns to walk back to his office, they both glance back across the hall, only to find an empty space where Karofsky stood only a moment earlier. Blaine sighs in relief, but knows that it’s unlikely to be the end of it.

_He can’t know that we are… that I am…_ His thoughts are fuzzy as he tries to remember if they were holding hands, if either of them said something that would’ve with certainty given away their new status. There are a million ways they could unknowingly make the bullies feel provoked or to see them as easy prey for an attack.

“Blaine?” Kurt says with concern ringing through his voice, “Maybe we should… not try to attract unnecessary attention?”

It’s logical, Blaine gets that, that they should not offer up reasons to be targets. But it still feels a little like he’s supposed to hide something that he is _not_ ashamed of. Everything in his brain tells him to nod, but his body and heart ache in an unpleasant way, the distance from Kurt already making him feel lost. He shouldn’t, he’s trying not to let it show at least, because that in turn feels like he’s disappointing Kurt, but the nod he gives Kurt in response is stiff and shaky.

“You have the first class this afternoon, would you like to meet afterwards?” Kurt asks, and Blaine shrugs his shoulders.

“I wouldn’t want you to have to wait around,” he says quietly, “It’s going to be an hour, at least.”

“I was hoping we could talk some more,” Kurt continues, eyes narrowing at Blaine, studying him, “I’d like to keep in the loop with the lessons you’re having. We can compare with what I’ve been told at Dalton?”

It’s a question, Blaine is aware of that, he doesn’t _have to_ go along with Kurt’s suggestion to meet up after his lesson; they can have the discussion tomorrow, or over the phone. But the promise of seeing Kurt, of being close, that’s something Blaine can’t bring himself to pass up.

“Okay,” he nods with a small smile, “Where do you want to meet?”

“Is there a safe place in this school?” Kurt asks, “I mean, besides the choir room. Somewhere no one else is going to barge in on?”

“The football field today,” Blaine offers, “There’s no practice today, at least there won’t be by the time coach is… by the time I’ll finish.”

Kurt nods and glances quickly around the empty hallway, and then Blaine feels the warmth of Kurt’s lips brushing over his cheek.

“Meet me there when your class is done,” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s ear. “Text me when you’re heading there so I know you’re on your way.”

“Yes, sir,” Blaine breathes out, shivers running down his back at the closeness and small show of affection.

He isn’t looking at Kurt anymore, his head down and eyes focused on the floor. There’s a moment when he has to stop himself from moving into the direction of Kurt, just to feel _more_ , be closer.

“Blaine, look at me,” Kurt orders and Blaine’s head immediately snaps up, “Not yet, okay? And not in school, maybe?”

Blaine frowns at Kurt’s words, trying to understand why Kurt is rejecting the reaction.

“Oh god,” Kurt sighs, “It’s not that I don’t _want_ this, Blaine. God, you’re…” he pauses, his eyes closing for a second, “I’m worried, okay? You fall so deep, so fast, so perfectly, but it’s a little scary to me. Hurting you is the last thing I want to do, nor do I want to get you into a position where you _could_ be in danger, not just from my actions.”

The words register slowly, but a part of Blaine’s mind rejects them. He’s torn, on one hand wanting to be _Kurt’s_ , because he feels the elation of having found someone and the excitement of bonding; on the other hand he still has the rational part of him telling him that Kurt has a point.

“I’ll try,” Blaine replies, still barely whispering.

“Thank you,” Kurt nods once he’s pulled back, then cups Blaine’s cheek with his hand, “I’ll meet you for lunch?”

“Could we maybe meet at the bleachers for it? I mean, I did bring some food, but if you don’t have any or want to stay in the cafeteria…” Blaine rambles, still feeling unsettled.

“The bleachers are fine,” Kurt smiles at him, “Be there for lunch break, sweetheart.”

The reaction within Blaine to the pet name and the direct instruction is immediate. He nods and smiles and lets the calmness wash over him. He’s not sure if the feeling will last him until lunch, but it will have to do.

_We have to talk about this_ , Blaine thinks as he watches Kurt walk away to his own locker.

He’s more aware of the issue as the distance between them increases. Leaning against his locker, he sighs and lets his mind drift. The way he reacts to Kurt immediately, the way he falls into subspace fast and hard, the way he is already attached to Kurt are things that should scare him probably. And they do, now that he’s alone and vulnerable, when Kurt isn’t by his side and reassuring. But when he’s standing by his soulmate, when Kurt’s there to steady him, Blaine doesn’t think and just lets himself fall.

_It’s not fair to him_ , he muses, _not when he’s still just learning too. Maybe I should bring it up in the class later._

Blaine considers asking Coach Sylvester about it, telling her that he wants to learn how to control the need to submit, at least while they’re in school. But to discuss something like that with her makes him recoil even in his imagination. Instead of trying to figure it out right there and then, he shakes the thoughts off as best as he can and heads to his class. Puck isn’t in that one, neither is Quinn, but most importantly his and Kurt’s schedule in the mornings, with the exception of homeroom, are all separate.

He isn’t entirely sure how he makes it through the class. By the time the bell rings, Blaine knows there wasn’t much point to him being there besides attendance and copying the assignment for the week off the blackboard. He gathers up his books and heads to the door, but only gets as far as the front row of desks. Because he’s kept his head down, he doesn’t notice that someone else is in the classroom still, until he’s colliding with another body.

“So, Anderson,” Blaine shivers when he hears the voice, “Crossing over to the dark side?”

He looks up and is met with a mocking smirk on Karofsky’s face.

“Or are you just playing welcome committee as part of your latest sentence?” the jock continues even as Blaine steps back, his eyes wide open.

“What does it matter to you, Karofsky?” he manages to snarl back, though he already feels himself beginning to shake.

There’s caution, Kurt’s words about not getting Blaine in harm’s way making themselves known in Blaine’s mind loudly. He can almost guarantee that Kurt wouldn’t be happy if Blaine managed to get himself into danger with his own actions. There’s fear, since they’re alone in the classroom and it doesn’t seem like any other class is starting there next period. But then, ebbing under the surface but quickly making their way out, there are the mentions of Kurt’s being bullied before Dalton. Blaine can almost hear the hitch in Kurt’s voice when he whispered the jock’s name earlier in the hallway.

“You’re hanging out with Hummel, I don’t want the fairy dust to rub off on me,” Karofsky growls, “Or should I have worried about you before?”

“Not like I punched _gay_ into you, David,” Blaine rolls his eyes, but still keeps a safe distance, “Though with the amount of interest you have in it, maybe it’s been there all along.”

Blaine can see the anger flare up the moment the words slip from his lips. He ducks when Karofsky launches for him, then twists and his fist is flying before he can think about what he’s doing. The moment it connects, Blaine snaps back to reality, though, and he jumps back. He watches Karofsky crumble onto a chair, holding his jaw and visibly seething.

When Blaine hears the gasp that follows the familiar click letting him know the door behind his back has opened, he freezes and his eyes close.

_Shit,_ he manages to think and then turns around, coming face to face with Coach Beiste. 


	11. Sylvester Method

The next two classes, Blaine fiddles with his phone under the desk. He knows he should let Kurt know that he won’t be able to meet him for lunch, but he’s stalling. Coach Beiste didn’t drag him to the principal’s office, to Blaine’s enormous relief, but he’s still due to spend lunch with her in the gym, cleaning up. He guesses it’s because she knows that he has his submission class later and detention would stop him from going. He doesn’t question her on it, though, just nods when she tells him where he needs to be during lunch break. The phone buzzes in Blaine’s hand during one of the classes and he glances at the text message, cringing immediately.

**_from Kurt_ ** _: didn’t see you at break, hope your day is going okay. can’t wait for lunch._

Blaine hovers a finger over the reply field and tries to figure out the simplest way to let Kurt know what happened. He doesn’t want to discuss Karofsky over text messages, and if Blaine did have the choice, he wouldn’t discuss any of it. But he’ll need to and want to tell Kurt later on, in person, if for no other reason than to warn him that the jock seems to be on a warpath.

**_to Kurt_ ** _: won’t make it, have to help the football coach in the gym through lunch. sorry, sir._

He doesn’t know why he’s tacked on the title at the end of the message, but he sends it before he can think about it too much. It felt right typing it, so he doesn’t, for the time being, question it. Instead of waiting for a reply from Kurt, Blaine tosses his phone into his bag and doesn’t look at it for the rest of the day. His lunch passes by in a blur of basketballs and towels, the two periods after drag slower, leaving him plenty of time to think.

Quinn and Puck barely cross his path through the day; he only runs into Quinn once when they’re both rushing to get to their class. Puck, though, will be in the last class of the day before Blaine is due to meet Coach Sylvester and he almost wants to avoid it. But skipping class on top of getting lunchtime sort of detention isn’t the best idea, and even though his head isn’t completely clear and rational, Blaine knows that.

“Blaine!” Puck calls out from the back row when Blaine walks into the class, “Saved you a seat, man!”

Blaine stops for a beat and debates with himself whether he wants to risk the upcoming and inevitable discussion during class. But when he spots the worksheets already on the desk and recognizes the familiar tasks, for once he knows that they won’t get in trouble for talking, since the assignments are group work. And being partnered with Puck for those is better than awkwardly making his way through the assignment with someone else in the class, since he doesn’t talk regularly to any other people. So, with an obvious lack of enthusiasm, Blaine makes his way to his friend and slumps into the chair.

“Dude, I’m sorry for earlier,” Puck starts immediately, “It was just a surprise. I did overreact, though. I’ve got your back, bro.”

“Will you have Kurt’s back too, if necessary?” Blaine snaps back, then immediately regrets his tone and mumbles a ‘sorry’ under his breath.

Regardless of what happened in the past, Blaine still considers Puck to be his best friend. He just never thought that his best friend would be someone who was a part of his soulmate’s torment. Blaine does know that Puck is not the same person that he was back then, that even though there are still instances of Puck being a bully, it’s nowhere near as bad as how he used to be.

“You’re my bro and anyone who’s important to you is important to me,” Puck states, not even flinching at Blaine’s anger. “I ran into him earlier today, actually.”

The information is enough to make Blaine snap his head up and stare at Puck in surprise.

“Noah…” Blaine starts, a warning tone in his voice.

“No, man, we’re kind of cool now.” Puck smirks, “I apologized and all.”

Blaine’s jaw drops. He knows that’s not the whole story, but he’s not that eager to find out details just yet. It’s most likely not all over, either, but he wants to hear Kurt’s thoughts too. A small dash of guilt runs through him when he wonders if the meeting happened because Blaine missed lunch or if Kurt seemed so eager about lunch because he ran into Puck before it. Either way, it intensifies the heavy feeling in Blaine’s stomach about getting himself in trouble.

“Thank you,” Blaine mumbles just as the teacher walks past, so they both turn to the sheets on their desks and attempt to get through the assignment.

“Hey, man,” Puck speaks up a little while later when the teacher walks off to the front of the room, “I spotted Karofsky with a shiner, and then you weren’t around for lunch.”

Blaine glances over and shrugs.

“What happened, B?”

“He was an asshole and opened his mouth, then lunged for me,” Blaine says like it’s no big deal, “Beiste walked in just after and gave me gym clean up duty for lunch break.”

“Well, let me tell you,” Puck almost preens, “You definitely got him good; he was nursing an ice pack during lunch. It’s probably a good thing that I got talking to Kurt then, because Karofsky was throwing looks in his direction that promised nothing good.”

“Shit,” Blaine groans, “I made it _worse_ , didn’t I?”

He cringes and wonders if it’s a good idea to text Kurt to let him know about what Puck said. But just then, the teacher calls for attention and Blaine doesn’t dare reaching for his phone, just in case he’s seen with it and ends up in detention for real.

“I don’t think you could have, B,” Puck mutters when the class gets noisier again, with everyone talking about the assignment, “I’ve heard…”

Blaine stiffens, because he is aware that while Puck mostly hangs on with him and Quinn, he’s still around the jocks enough to overhear things he’d normally be a part of. They are sometimes things that Puck ends up taking part in, though he’s staying on the sidelines, enabling instead of actively participating in the bullying that’s still at McKinley. In Blaine’s eyes, it’s a massive improvement, when he considers that when he transferred, Puck was still tossing people in dumpsters on a regular basis and the locker checking that happened to Kurt had a daily quota. He’s not sure if Kurt will see it that way, though. Blaine also may have gotten Puck off the bully list, but that doesn’t mean any of the others have stopped.

“Puck, what?” he hisses when Puck doesn’t finish the thought.

“Karofsky remembers him,” Puck says quietly, “The others, not so much, but David definitely knows that Kurt was with us in middle school.”

“Yeah, he mentioned it,” Blaine sighs, “He also knows Kurt is gay and out.”

“So are you,” Puck points out the obvious, “And he hasn’t gone after you for that.”

“I also don’t _look_ the part, really, remember how Berry thought I was lying?” Blaine shudders at the memory, “Not to mention, I punched him more than once, so he knows not to mess with me.”

“I’m disappointed that I missed today’s one,” Puck smirks, “I thought he learned by now.”

Blaine shrugs, his eyes on the assignment, but his mind far away, “He didn’t like me implying he might be gay, unsurprisingly.”

Puck’s eyes are wide and his jaw has dropped a little when Blaine glances over. He’s aware that he provoked Karofsky openly, he’d admit that in a second. If there’s one thing he can’t just let go, it’s homophobia. It was one of the first rules he laid down with Puck, right after they started talking. Puck knew that Blaine wouldn’t tolerate jokes or threats about that topic, regardless of it being true about a person or not. When the Glee club outed Santana, Puck was the one who stood by her, which Blaine still counts as a victory.

“Seriously, though, Puck,” Blaine frowns, “if Karofsky is after Kurt in any way…”

“Do you want me to shadow him for a while? At times that you can’t?” Puck offers and Blaine’s amazed by his friend’s suggestion, “I mean, I have half of the morning classes with him and I think Quinn has the ones I don’t.”

“I can’t decide for him,” Blaine mumbles, then glares at the smirk that has appeared on Puck’s face, “Not because of that! I wouldn’t decide things for you either and you’re not my Dom.”

“It’s the soulmate thing, isn’t it?” Puck keeps smirking, “It’s no wonder I can’t ever get you to do _anything_.”

“No, that would be because the majority of your ideas are completely insane. Or dangerous. Or both.”

They get interrupted again, this time by the teacher collecting the assignment sheets that Blaine somehow managed to finish even with all the worrying and talking to Puck.

“Ask Kurt, though,” Puck’s tone is softer than before, friendlier, “I wouldn’t mind keeping the idiots off his back.”

“I’ll let you know,” Blaine nods, “Though it will probably be tomorrow, I have a sub class after school today.”

Puck looks to Blaine and obviously bites back a comment that’s on the tip of his tongue.

“Who’s in charge of that?” he asks instead, and Blaine feels his insides clench.

“Coach Sylvester,” Blaine answers, wondering if he can somehow not have to go.

The responding groan from Puck isn’t helping matters, and Blaine slumps in his seat more. When the bell rings for the end of the class, he stiffens and nods to Puck, then heads off to the coach’s office. His legs barely carry him there because the closer he is, the more his worry and doubts take his mind over.

_I’m here to learn, I’m here to get better,_ he repeats to himself even as he knocks on the office door.

“Get in, Anderson!” the coach calls, and Blaine walks in hesitantly, unsure of what she wants him to do.

He doesn’t speak anything besides a brief ‘hello, coach’, which she seems to ignore. Instead, he stands in the middle of the empty space close to the exit and waits.

“Sit down, baby gay, there’s a book on the table,” she finally says, and Blaine spots the small volume and lifts it once he’s settled in the chair Coach Sylvester pointed out. “Start reading, I’ll stop you for small quizzes as you go.”

Blaine lifts an eyebrow but finds a spot on one of the chairs at the side of the office and without dwelling over the cover of the book, opens it to the first page. The moment he starts reading, it hits him that the book is _old_ , from years when Dominants and submissives were ranked on different levels in the social hierarchy. Everything in him wants to scream and throw the book to the side then run to Kurt and have him take over. But when he thinks of Kurt, Blaine also thinks of how he needs to complete these classes to be allowed to _be_ with him, which is what they were told in the office meeting that morning. And then there is the urge to be _good_ , to become what Kurt needs, to submit the best he can. So he reads on.

He’s only just past the first chapter when the coach walks over and stands above him, her shadow falling over the pages. Blaine looks up to her with a frown and finds her smirking down at him. The feeling of discomfort is immediate, and he feels his stomach clench at the expression in her face.

“Gel-ly baby, did I tell you to stop reading?” she snarls.

“No,” Blaine replies shortly, his stomach not easing up.

“Lesson one: do _not_ do things a Dominant doesn’t order you to,” Coach Sylvester recites as if she’s reading from a book “Unless you have explicit long-term allowances to do things by yourself, when a Dominant gives you an order or an instruction, you don’t stop unless you’re told to.”

A coldness washes over Blaine as he’s listening to the words. None of them are in any way close to what Kurt has told him the day before, nor to what Blaine assumed from their conversation. He doesn’t dare to protest, though, or contradict the coach, especially since she’s still looming over him. Instead of speaking up, he ducks his head back down to the book in his lap.

“Lesson two: eye contact should only happen when the Dominant requests it,” she continues, her voice cold and calculated. “As a submissive, you keep your head down and your mouth shut unless spoken to and allowed to answer.”

_‘It’s not like I want you to ask for permission to speak’_

Kurt’s words run through Blaine’s mind, the complete opposite of what Coach Sylvester is saying now. The two war in his head, but ultimately, he decides that he’s in enough trouble already and doesn’t need to get into more. And it’s clear to him from the coach’s tone that speaking up would do exactly that.

“Lesson three: unless you’re in public, or explicitly told otherwise,” she grabs the book out of his hands, puts it on the shelf next to the chair he’s in and then grabs his jaw to tilt his head up, “when a Dominant is in the room, _kneel_.”

Blaine recoils, both at the touch of her hand and at her words and freezes.

_No_.

The word is the only thing in his mind, screaming at him, urging him to defend himself. He’s about to push her hand away when she lets go and marches to her desk, leaving him reeling.

_I will not kneel for you_ , Blaine thinks with defiance, _you’re not my Dominant, you’re not Kurt. Kurt told me I wouldn’t have to kneel, he doesn’t want me to. You’re not_ him.

The silence hangs heavily in the room as the coach rummages for something in her desk, Blaine left shaking in his chair, every fiber of his being calling to get out of there.

_Kurt_ , he can’t stop thinking, _I need Kurt_.


	12. Truth Time

“I told you to kneel,” are the first words that break the silence in the office.

They bring Blaine back to reality but don’t stop the chanting in his mind, the urge to go find _his_ dominant, his _soulmate_ , to look for the feeling of being _safe_. Right now, he feels anything but that, his hands shaking and the feeling of nausea getting stronger with every move the coach makes. Blaine does the only thing he can think of that isn’t running away or speaking up: he pulls his legs up into the chair and wraps his arms around his knees.

Coach Sylvester disregards the way Blaine has curled up in on himself and turns back to her desk. Blaine closes his eyes and ducks his face behind his arms, trying to breathe.

“If you can’t obey a simple order, Anderson,” he hears the mocking tone clearly, “And we both know you have a problem with authority, there are going to be consequences. It’s a good thing you ended up a sub, then maybe you can get some discipline into you.”

He doesn’t look up, even when he hears the rustling of the coach moving around the room. It slowly dawns on him that whatever order she has given him doesn’t have the effect that Kurt’s did, from the moment they ran into each other. For a split second, he thinks it’s because the only orders a submissive accepts and obeys are those of his soulmate, but he is not sure about it.

“An order that isn’t obeyed,” Coach Sylvester’s voice is closer when she speaks up again, “will be repeated once. Only once, and then there will be consequences for disobedience.”

Blaine feels like he’s been drenched with a slushie, his whole body prickling as if he had ice all over it. He shivers and curls up on himself more, keeping quiet.

“Go on now, _kneel_ ,” she orders with a tone that makes it clear that she won’t be repeating it.

_NO_!

He opens his mouth to speak, not caring anymore how much trouble it will get him into, nor what she will do if he does defy her orders openly like that. But just as the refusal is about to leave his mouth, the phone’s shrill ring interrupts the silence instead.

“Fine, we’re done for today,” the coach says over the ringing, “Get out, Anderson, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Blaine doesn’t hesitate, doesn’t think twice, doesn’t bother looking back at her as he scrambles off the chair, grabs his bag and rushes out of the office, only just managing to not slam the door behind him.

Once he’s out in the hallway, he leans against the nearest wall and tries to breathe again. His knees feel weak, and moments later he slides down along the wall, curling up on himself again, like he did in the office. Blaine’s mind is spinning with what he’s been told by the coach, Kurt’s words and his own thoughts. None of them align completely for him, _especially_ not the things that he was told in the ‘class’, since they contradict not only his hopes for his relationship with Kurt but also his soulmate and Dom’s reassurances.

“Blaine?”

It’s only his name, but the already familiar voice immediately helps stop the shivers that Blaine has been fighting since he left Coach Sylvester’s office.

_Kurt_.

He looks up and meets the blue eyes that are rapidly approaching as Kurt rushes down the hallway and then crouches down in front of Blaine, his hand immediately on Blaine’s cheek, thumb stroking it reassuringly.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” Kurt asks, and a sting of guilt for worrying him jolts Blaine.

Shaking his head, Blaine blinks and breathes in, the shivering fading away with each stroke of Kurt’s thumb against his cheek.

“I’m fine,” Blaine finally whispers, his voice still sounding shaky, “Just tired after everything.”

“Blaine,” Kurt narrows his eyes and studies Blaine’s face closely, “That’s not everything, is it?”

Since he’s not being ordered to talk, Blaine sighs in relief and shakes his head again.

“It’s been a long day,” he whispers, then ducks his head.

Immediately, Kurt moves his hand and tilts Blaine’s head back up, a frown on his face making it clear that he’s not buying Blaine’s words.

“I don’t like you not telling me the truth, sweetheart,” Kurt says sternly, “Or leaving out information,” he adds when Blaine opens his mouth to say, truthfully, that he isn’t lying.

He is _not_ , but he’s aware that he’s not telling Kurt everything. The words are on the tip of his tongue, he wants to let them rush out and let Kurt know about everything: the fight with Karofsky, the reason he couldn’t make it to their lunch meeting, the lessons he’s just been told of. 

“But maybe this isn’t the best place to discuss things,” Kurt finishes and stands up.

Blaine immediately shrinks some more when Kurt’s hand moves away from his face. He is about to duck his head again when Kurt extends his hand to help Blaine get off the floor.

“Come on, we’ll find somewhere more private,” he hears as he stands up, maybe a little too close to Kurt.

Being almost pressed against his soulmate is calming, though, and Blaine is glad that Kurt doesn’t move away immediately. He feels the warmth between them, or at least his imagination supplies the feeling, and he shifts even closer. Kurt’s eyes are on him, he knows without looking up to see.

“My car is right by the entrance,” Kurt says quietly, “Come sit in it for a minute.”

Blaine nods but doesn’t speak up yet, the spinning of his mind still too strong. He’s not sure what words would come out if he did open his mouth, so he doesn’t. When Kurt starts moving towards the exit, Blaine follows without words, his head down, eyes focused on the floor and his feet. Once they’re out by the car, Kurt opens the door to the backseat and Blaine glances up, wondering why Kurt has not just gone to the driver’s seat. But he only gets a nod towards the open door, so he slides in, feeling Kurt follow immediately.

In the restricted space, their bodies are touching, and all Blaine can think of is ‘ _finally_ ’ as he leans into Kurt, relief and comfort flooding him.

“So, what happened that you missed lunch?” Kurt breaks the silence between them.

The brief feeling of relief immediately vanishes and Blaine freezes.

“I was helping out Coach Beiste in the gym,” Blaine answers, but he knows that his tone gives away that it’s not the full story.

“Tell me, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s ear, wrapping his arms around Blaine’s tense body.

“Karofsky happened,” falls out of Blaine’s lips and from there, it’s a waterfall of words.

He tells Kurt about the way the jock waited for him after class, about the insults and threat, then how he snapped and provoked him until Karofsky attacked. Blaine feels Kurt tensing around him, but he doesn’t interrupt while Blaine is speaking, waiting until Blaine finishes retelling the incident.

“So Beiste didn’t see that it was him attacking you?” Kurt asks when Blaine finishes, “But she didn’t drag you straight to Figgins?”

“No, she’s…” Blaine pauses, “She had my back before, when Puck and I were in fights; she never reported us to the principal.”

“I’m not happy about you being in a fight, Blaine,” Kurt’s tone stays serious, “But I’m glad it was her who walked in on you. I’m glad _someone_ did.”

“Me too,” Blaine mumbles.

He knows it could have ended a lot worse, that he was lucky that they got interrupted, because Karofsky was nowhere near done with Blaine.

“I’m sorry I missed lunch,” he adds, curling into Kurt’s side more.

“We’ll have to talk about what I meant when I mentioned causing you harm, sweetheart,” Kurt says, and Blaine can hear two emotions in his voice, mild amusement and disapproval.

“I know, I just… he was…”

Blaine pauses and turns in Kurt’s arms to meet his eyes.

“I couldn’t just let him insult you,” he says, “I wouldn’t let that go for anyone, but especially _you_.”

“Blaine,” Kurt smiles at him, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes, “I understand the _why_ of it. I can’t even say I would let it go, whether it was about me or you or anyone. But he can get dangerous, and I don’t want you to get hurt. I’m less concerned about you getting detention than I am about what could’ve happened if Beiste hadn’t walked in.”

“I’m sorry,” Blaine mutters and hides his face in Kurt’s side.

“Now, that’s not all that happened today, though, is it?” Kurt questions after a moment, his fingers wrapping around Blaine’s arm tighter, “I need you to tell me about the class with Coach Sylvester.”

“I don’t know how...” Blaine turns to Kurt and blinks, “What do you want to know?”

“You obviously left there shaken and upset,” Kurt frowns, “That didn’t just happen for no reason. Especially not after the first submission class that should only focus on basics. Sweetheart, you looked like you’d been torn out of a bond instead of having learned about being a submissive.”

“She’s…” Blaine pauses, the words in his mind still messy and confused. “I don’t know what to make of what she told me. There was a book she wanted me to read, but it was from before we were even born. And what she said then, it was nothing like what we talked about so far.”

He sees Kurt’s frown deepen and wonders if he should stop talking. He’s not even sure he should be discussing what happened in the class. The decision to continue is simple, though, because it might clear up Kurt’s frown at the end, and Blaine wants that to happen.

“It was strange a little, because she gave me orders but,” he pauses to take a breath, “With you, I can’t resist them. With her, I just felt like they were any other words she said. I didn’t feel like I _have to_ follow them. Like, when she ordered me to kneel…”

It’s instantaneous, the way Kurt’s face turns from concerned and unhappy to downright furious.

“She did _what_?” he spits out and Blaine feels the fingers on his arm tightening.

“It was one of the lessons she told me,” Blaine frowns, “that I should always kneel with a Dominant in the room.”

“And she said _any_ Dom?” Kurt asks, and Blaine can feel the anger rolling off him but nods.

“What other _lessons_ did she try and teach you?” Kurt asks with a tone that makes a shiver roll down Blaine’s spine.

“No eye contact unless a Dominant orders it, no speaking unless explicitly permitted to do so,” Blaine rattles off and drops his head against Kurt again, shivering.

He knows, deep down, that none of those are things that Kurt will ask him to do. But he can’t help but be aware of the little seed of doubt that makes him wonder if it’s something his Dom might like.

“You’re not going back to her,” Kurt snaps, and Blaine’s eyes widen.

Pulling away from Kurt, he twists so that he can look his soulmate in the eyes, then gasps when he sees the anger in every cell of Kurt’s face.

“Okay,” he whispers and breathes out, “thank you.”

“She’s… I don’t know what she’s thinking… Neanderthal, medieval crap…” Kurt is muttering to himself, and Blaine wonders what he could do to calm him.

Part of him is absolutely elated at the thought of not having to put up with Coach Sylvester and her ideas of what a submissive should be like. But another part of him wonders if Kurt will be able to present sufficient reasoning for an exemption from the obligatory classes.

“Okay, I can’t think here,” Kurt finally says in a clearer voice, the mutterings over and done with, “My Dad… oh god today is so not a good day for that, not when I don’t have time to do anything about this,” he rambles and reaches out to Blaine so he can link their fingers again, “Dad said he wants to meet you.”

“Y-your Dad,” Blaine gapes at Kurt in shock.

“Yeah, I talked to him yesterday, and he said he wants to talk to you,” Kurt nods with a bright smile, one that does reach his eyes this time.

“You talked to your Dad about me?”

“Of course, didn’t you tell your parents that you bonded?” Kurt narrows his eyes, looking like he’s thinking that the idea is unfathomable.

“They weren’t home last night,” Blaine shrugs, “not until after I’d gone to bed, and I rushed out this morning and didn’t stop to chat.”

“We’ll talk about that later,” Kurt sighs, “How about we drive to my house now and meet with my Dad?”

Still dumbfounded by the fact that Kurt has already told his father about Blaine, worried about what Mr. Hummel will think of the bike and the jacket and Blaine’s history and reputation, he nods hesitantly and follows Kurt out of the backseat.

“Hey, don’t panic on me,” Kurt stops just outside the passenger door and pulls Blaine closer, “Dad won’t care about anything but that you’re _mine_.”

With that, the possessive pronoun still rolling around Blaine’s head, he lets Kurt pull him closer and then leans in when Kurt’s lips brush against his. 


	13. Safe Place

Blaine insists, after he’s calmed down some more, that he can follow Kurt to his house on the bike.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Blaine,” Kurt protests, but doesn’t sound like he’s planning to give a direct order, “not after the day you’ve had.”

“You’re not much better,” Blaine points out, noticing the way Kurt is still clenching his fists in reaction to what happened, “I’ve been riding the bike long enough to know when I’m okay to go.”

There’s a moment when Blaine wonders if he said too much, if he is being too strong-willed. He steps closer to Kurt again and links their fingers together.

“I’m okay now, enough to follow you to your place,” Blaine’s voice is steady but quiet, “You calmed me and I’ll never be too far behind. You’ll see me in the rear view mirror at all times, I promise.”

“Only because I don’t want you to be coming back here to get it,” Kurt finally says, “or leaving it overnight.”

Only on the way to Kurt’s do the words register completely, and it takes all the remaining self-control that Blaine has to stop the little swerve he does from becoming dangerous. _Did Kurt imply that I might possibly spend the night?_ he thinks and immediately chastises himself for the thought. Blaine wouldn’t object, of course; the idea of spending as much time as possible in Kurt’s presence is tempting, but he doesn’t want to get his hopes up. Or come across as too clingy.

When Kurt pulls into the driveway, Blaine stops at the side and waits to see where he can park. He’s conscious of the fact that he’ll be meeting Kurt’s father and, ideally, he’d prefer to leave the information that he rides a motorbike for a time after he’s already made a good impression. It wouldn’t be the first time that he got judged in a bad way for, in words of some people, owning and riding a death machine.

“You can pull into the garage,” Kurt tells him when he walks over to where Blaine is idling by the curb. “That way it’ll be safe and Dad won’t see it right away.”

Blaine is more than a little relieved when he hears Kurt’s words and realizes that he’s not the only one thinking of what impression the bike might make.

“Not that Dad will mind,” Kurt adds, “But he’s seen enough of them damaged in the garage that he’s given me a few lectures on road safety. I’m pretty sure I’ll get one about not getting on it with you.”

The comment brings ideas into Blaine’s mind that make him glad he’s sitting on the bike and that he has time to process them. His brain rather unhelpfully supplies the image of Kurt behind him on the bike, pressed close against Blaine’s back and with arms wrapped tight around Blaine’s body. He blushes and hopes Kurt won’t notice how flustered he gets.

“He won’t be home just yet, so we have a little time to talk.” Kurt keeps talking like he hasn’t said anything especially unsettling.

Blaine slides off the bike and pushes it inside, then hangs his helmet on the back and turns to Kurt, who’s leaning against the garage door.

“Come inside,” Kurt says with a smile and a hand extended towards Blaine.

Moments later they’re sitting in the living room, Blaine’s boots and jacket in the hallway. He feels a little exposed in just his jeans, T-shirt, and socks. There’s a level of protection that he got used to from the leather jacket, not only in school but anywhere that isn’t the sanctuary of his own home. Even during rare visits to other people, he rarely takes it off, but when Kurt asked for it, Blaine shrugged out of the worn leather without hesitation.

“Since we have a moment,” Kurt breaks the silence that settled over them for the last few minutes, “I was going to ask you about the class again.”

Blaine cringes at the thought of revisiting the way he felt in Coach Sylvester’s office.

“I know it’s not a nice thought,” Kurt immediately reaches over for Blaine’s hand, “But… I know she said things that unsettled you, and I want to make sure I know how to fix it. I can only do that if you tell me what it was.”

“I know,” Blaine replies quietly, “And consciously, I know what she was telling me isn’t… you’ve told me before that it’s not what you want. That you wouldn’t ask… that we’d _talk_ …”

He takes a deep breath before he can bring himself to continue, his mind spinning.

“I can’t help but wonder, though.” He ducks his head, feeling safer when he’s not looking at Kurt. “If it’s something every Dom wants. Obviously, I thought of being a Dominant before, when everyone assumed I would be. What she said there, it was not only making me feel bad as a submissive, or because I’d be ‘rebellious’,” he makes a point of emphasizing by miming air quotes, “Even if I had been a Dominant, I wouldn’t want those things from a sub. She’d made me feel like I was _nothing_ , with just the few things she mentioned.”

Kurt doesn’t respond for a moment, then his hold on Blaine’s hand gets tighter and he sighs.

“I know people who want that,” Kurt mutters, “What you mentioned about the kneeling and the perfect obedience. I can’t lie to you and tell you it never happens with anyone in the world. I’ve _seen_ it happen, I’ve seen people trying to make it happen.” He tenses and Blaine’s eyes shoot up to see Kurt biting his lip before he continues talking, “What I _can_ tell you is that it’s never been something I wanted. I don’t want a pet, I don’t want _you_ to become one. I know we have a lot to learn about each other still, but the idea of you losing what I’ve already started to like is… I don’t _want_ that.”

“I still don’t quite understand, though.” Blaine decides to steer the conversation to something that’s been making him wonder since the moment of bonding, “She gave me clear orders. There was no hesitation. And I felt them, a little. I knew there was the option to submit and do everything she said, but…”

He pauses and locks his eyes on Kurt, hand clutching his soulmate’s as tight as he can without hurting him.

“With you, it’s like you could tell me to dance a jig naked in the Lima Bean and I wouldn’t be able to say no,” Blaine says and sees the corner of Kurt’s mouth turn up, “Not that I’m saying you should test that in that exact manner,” he adds with a blush.

“No,” Kurt chuckles, “I don’t think I’ll be telling you to be naked anywhere other than in private.”

It’s really something Blaine is proud of when that statement doesn’t cause his jaw to drop to the floor. He doesn’t manage to contain the inevitable blush, especially not when he sees Kurt’s cheeks redden instantly.

“Oh god that came out all wrong, or maybe not wrong but too soon. I’m sorry my mind is not completely functional apparently,” Kurt rambles.

Blaine immediately decides that a flustered Kurt is the cutest image he’s ever seen, and he has to bite down hard on his bottom lip so he doesn’t lean over to kiss him. Instead, he lets out the chuckle that’s been bubbling inside him, reveling in the way the bit of conversation lessened the tension in the room.

“Don’t apologize,” Blaine finally manages to say, his shoulders still shaking with laughter, “I think we needed the comic relief.”

“We did,” Kurt nods, “But unfortunately, I’ll ask you to go back to the conversation. The sooner we get it out of the way, the better.”

Calming down from the laughter, Blaine nods in agreement. He does hope that Kurt has an answer for him about the orders and the way Blaine follows Kurt’s so easily when other Dominants’ orders leave him mostly cold. He wants to know and memorize it, just in case someone decides that they can order him around now that he’s a sub.

“It wasn’t covered in the classes we did, and the coach clearly doesn’t think it’s the case, but,” Blaine pauses and takes a deep breath, “Is it because we’re soulmates? Does you being my soulmate make your dominant part stronger than everyone else’s when it comes to giving orders to me?”

He can see that Kurt is mulling the question over, worrying his lip between his teeth.

“I’ll be honest, Blaine, I’m not sure,” Kurt finally says. “The bond between us is obviously strong, but whether it has a direct effect on how you perceive others’ orders isn’t something we’ve learned. I mean, Doms and subs who lose their soulmates don’t lose their designation…”

He trails off and Blaine spots the sadness in Kurt’s eyes, reminding Blaine of what Kurt said about his Mom.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” he starts, but Kurt brings a finger to Blaine’s lips and stops him from finishing the sentence.

“Don’t apologize, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers.

The pet name, again, makes Blaine feel warmer and calm, the feeling of falling already tugging on his brain.

“See, like this,” Kurt says, pulling his hand away and bringing Blaine back to reality, “You start falling into subspace with me almost immediately. It’s beautiful to watch, but also a little scary.”

“I don’t know _how_ that happens,” Blaine’s voice shakes a little as his admission slips out, “I mean, I’ve never felt quite as strongly like I _need_ to submit, obviously. With you, it’s natural.”

“It should be, since we’re bonded, but it’s still so fast.” Kurt slides closer, their knees bumping into each other, “I’m honored that you trust me so implicitly, even though it’s barely been a day.”

“It feels right,” Blaine mutters, “Safe.”

“I promise you something,” Kurt’s features show his sincerity about his words, “I promise I won’t take advantage of that. I promise I’ll always have your best interests at heart and that I won’t do anything we don’t discuss before.”

“Thank you,” Blaine smiles.

“That all said, I can’t say I’m disappointed that we have some sort of a guarantee that others won’t be able to claim you,” Kurt admits in a strong voice.

Blaine realizes that Kurt is talking about Karofsky, and he tenses. The need for the conversation is understandable, and he still wants to know more about what happened during the day, _if_ anything happened.

“I wish I could say I hope I didn’t make things worse with Karofsky, Kurt,” Blaine says, deciding to just get the topic over and done with, “But I’m sure it didn’t help. Puck mentioned that he overheard some things from the jocks and… I know you said you don’t want _me_ to get hurt, but…”

He chokes on the last words a little, the idea of Kurt coming to any harm painful even in theory.

“I can hold my own now,” Kurt says firmly, but Blaine doesn’t think he’s offended, “A few years ago, yes, they could hurt me, but Dalton helped.”

“I know, but…”

“Puck offered to babysit, didn’t he?” Kurt asks with a small smile and a glint in his eye.

“He… how did you know?” Blaine looks at Kurt, dumbfounded.

“I talked to Quinn while you were in Coach Sylvester’s office,” Kurt says, “She’s the one who told me I might want to be there to pick you up. I think she’s seen some of the coach’s ‘teaching’ methods.”

“I’ll have to thank her,” Blaine mumbles, “Though I do sort of worry about _why_ she knew.”

“She’s in the Cheerios; she’s been head cheerleader long enough to have seen things, probably.” Kurt shrugs, though Blaine sees the worry lines on his forehead.

“Back to the offer,” Blaine sighs, “Yes, Puck suggested that he… keep an eye out for you. Before you ask, we did talk things through and… he’s different than he used to be, Kurt. I know he’s not perfect, but he’s a lot less of the bully that you probably remember him as.”

“I’m glad you talked,” Kurt smiles, “He’s your best friend, I wouldn’t take that away from you. The trust might not come easily, though; there’s a lot of history between us. It’s easier with Quinn, she’s… I was there when she transferred in middle school and for a while, we stuck together. Then she got into cheerleading and it didn’t last.”

“Just so you know, Puck has a sense of loyalty that is odd at the best of times,” Blaine smirks a little, “So even if you say no to his offer, he’ll still probably be looking out for you, likely without any subtlety. Quinn, on the other hand, is sneakier about those things.”

“You seem to have experience with this,” Kurt laughs.

“I didn’t get the reputation only because of a bike and a leather jacket. Not with anyone other than Puck, at least,” Blaine’s smile fades. “There were a few close calls after I transferred, and Puck’s the one who got me out at the time. Then it became known that I was hanging out with him; the rest of the school drew their own conclusions and since it stopped me being a target, I didn’t argue those.”

“It’s a pity Dad wouldn’t let me have a bike in freshman year,” Kurt chuckles, “Had I know that was what would have swayed Puck’s opinion…”

Blaine feels lighter than he has all day, even though they’re covering topics in the conversation that he normally wouldn’t think easy to talk about. But being close to Kurt seems to make everything more comfortable. He feels relaxed enough that he completely forgets that they’re in Kurt’s house and his Dad is due to arrive soon. That is, until the sound of an engine interrupts their laughter and a door slams at the front of the house.

“Hey, kid, do we need to have yet another conversation about buying things without consulting me first?” a voice booms from the hallway, and Blaine freezes, his smile immediately falling. “Not to mention the multiple talks we had about motorbikes and how you’re not getting one because I like you alive.”

Blaine’s head drops and his eyes bore into the cushion, his whole body cringing and shifting away from Kurt, their hands separating. He feels lost, somehow, without the connection, but he doesn’t react to Kurt’s whispered ‘Blaine’ nor the attempt to hold Blaine’s hand again.

“Dad, stop it,” Blaine hears Kurt say but doesn’t look up, “It’s not my bike, I didn’t buy anything I shouldn’t have, not to mention that I am not the one who was recently at death’s door, so you shouldn’t even _start_.”

“What do you expect me to say when there is a bike in our garage that had not been there this morning?” the voice is strong, but friendly enough to Blaine’s ears.

Still, he’s already berating himself for not letting Kurt drive him over, because this is Kurt’s Dad and no matter how impressed or not Kurt himself might be, it matters to Blaine that the older man likes him. Or at the very least, tolerates the fact that Kurt has bonded with a misfit of a submissive.

“Dad, stop, please,” Kurt’s voice softens, “Come on, there’s an explanation.”

“That’s something I can’t wait to hear, kiddo,” the voice is close, and finally Blaine brings himself to look up from the pale fabric of the couch.

“Dad, this is Blaine,” Kurt says, seemingly ignoring the tension in Blaine, “Blaine, sweetheart, this is my Dad, who needs to think before he speaks.”

With that, Kurt grabs Blaine’s hand, links their fingers and squeezes them reassuringly, making Blaine realize that he’s trying to stop the panic that’s rising in Blaine’s chest.


	14. Fatherly Judgment

All Blaine is aware of in the moment is silence and the way Kurt’s Dad runs his eyes over him. There’s no judgment, at least none that he can read in Mr. Hummel’s face, but it’s still unnerving to be sort of on display the way he is. For a moment, he yearns for the armor that his jacket usually provides him with.

“So, a bike?” Mr. Hummel finally speaks in a gruff tone.

“Yes, sir,” Blaine replies quietly, then ducks his head down.

“Got a helmet, kid?”

“Of course.”

Blaine doesn’t dare mention that he dug out the spare helmet the night before and clipped it onto the back of the bike just in case he’ll ever need to bring Kurt anywhere. It does cross his mind, though, and is immediately followed by the imagery from before, of Kurt sitting that close on the small seat. He tries to ignore that, since his jeans aren’t exactly the best for covering up his reaction. Blaine is all too aware of being a teenage boy in that moment, even though he has no experience to speak of.

“Kurt, you’re…” Mr. Hummel starts, but doesn’t get to finish his thought.

“...not getting on the bike without a helmet, not going anywhere without appropriate safety clothing, preferably not getting on the bike at all,” Kurt rattles off with an amused tone, “I know Dad. I can’t promise the last one, though, sorry.”

“S’pose not,” Mr. Hummel huffs, “Just… don’t get killed, either of you.”

“We won’t, sir,” Blaine says in what he hopes to be a reassuring tone.

“Don’t go promising things you can’t keep, either,” Mr. Hummel glares, “Now, what’s with the,” he makes a sweeping motion with his hand along Blaine’s clothes, including the jacket in the hallway, “T-birds gear?”

“Dad!” Kurt steps closer to Blaine and links their hands together, “No Spanish Inquisition, remember?”

“‘m just asking,” Mr. Hummel smirks, “Boy looks like he’s best friends with Puckerman and that’s… _what_? What did I say?” He stares at Blaine who’s feeling a little faint at the comment.

“He _is_ ,” Kurt laughs and Blaine’s eyes dart over to his soulmate, trying to figure out what’s so amusing about it.

“ _Kurt_!” Blaine hisses and squeezes his hand in what he hopes will come across as a warning.

“What? He’s going to find out anyway,” Kurt smiles, “It’s not a bad thing.”

“You sure about that?” Blaine asks warily, “Puck’s not… I’m not..”

“I know, sweetheart,” Kurt reassures, “But you _do_ have a certain image, even if you don’t live up to it.”

There’s a combination of indignant protest and relief that washes over Blaine and completely throws him off the shaky balance he’s been in from the moment Mr. Hummel walked into the room. A part of him wants to protest that he’s _not_ just pretending, that he’s not weak, but another part pushes for wanting to be approved by Kurt’s father. Confused, he glances between Kurt and Mr. Hummel, trying to figure out what he can and cannot say.

“Wait a second,” Mr. Hummel says before Blaine can formulate an appropriate response, “Are you the kid who negotiated Noah’s pay-off in the garage?”

Blaine’s mind flashes back to the previous school year and the incident that involved that involved Puck and some slashed tires in the student parking lot. What followed was not juvie, despite Puck’s previous rap sheet, but a few months of Saturdays at Hummel’s Tire and Lube shop.

“Yeah, that was… yeah, I did,” Blaine nods.

“That was a pretty smart thing,” Mr. Hummel acknowledges, “Kid’s learned a lot from that.”

“He’s been better since,” Blaine’s voice gains strength with the praise for what was his idea.

It’s only as they speak that he connects the dots between the garage and Kurt’s name. Immediately, he feels like an idiot for not realizing it before, but then he never actually _met_ Mr. Hummel in person. The negotiation was done in school and Puck was the one working off the damage.

“Wait, you did what?” Kurt asks and when Blaine looks to him, he sees the surprise in Kurt’s eyes.

“Puck slashed the football team’s tires last semester,” Blaine begins to explain, “He was barely hanging on in school, Coach Sue demanded juvie, but I managed to talk Beiste into having Puck work off the damage in your Dad’s garage.”

“How is he _alive_?” Kurt smirks and Blaine wonders if he’s imagining the football team’s faces when they found their cars.

“Not quite sure,” Blaine shrugs his shoulders, “Possibly because Karofsky remembered…”

He stops himself then, unsure if mentioning the punch he threw at Karofsky, the one that got him protection from the bullies, is a smart idea in front of Kurt’s Dad.

“Guess his memory failed today, then,” Kurt quirks an eyebrow, but the smile is still on his lips so Blaine lets out a relieved sigh.

“Or he got smarter and made sure Puck wasn’t around this time,” Blaine replies quietly, “He’s brave enough when he thinks he can beat someone into submission.”

“It’s not beating that does it,” Kurt laughs, “Maybe he’s jealous that it didn’t work for him.”

Blaine feels a shiver run down his spine at just the thought of being Karofsky’s submissive. He’s pretty sure he’d end up _needing_ the sort of lessons that Coach Sylvester is giving. As they flash through his mind, he feels his muscles tense and in the overwhelming panic, his brain scrambles for a distraction. It comes in the form of a muffled chuckle from where Mr. Hummel is standing, so Blaine turns that way.

“Oh you two have bonded, all right,” he hears the comment before he sees the older man’s expression, “I haven’t seen two people banter like this since your Mom and I, kiddo.”

“Dad!” Blaine hears Kurt protest unconvincingly.

“What? You two spar like an old married couple already,” Mr. Hummel grins and Blaine blushes, “I’m wondering if you really met only yesterday.”

Blaine glances over to Kurt and his mind is spinning. It’s a much better reaction than he’d expected, more surprising since Kurt’s father does know who Blaine is, or at least knows the people he spends his time with. Okay, Puck, but since that’s who Blaine’s best friend is, it generally is a red flag for most.

“So, kid,” Blaine spins when he realizes the words are directed at him and not Kurt, “What did your parents say to the bonding?”

“They…” Blaine pauses, then takes a deep breath, “They weren’t home last night, so I didn’t get to tell them. I don’t know what they’re going to say, to be honest, Mr, Hummel.”

“First of all, call me Burt,” Kurt’s Dad says with a soft smile, “Second, why would they have a problem with you bonding?”

Blaine ducks his head, wondering how to explain what he said.

“It’s not…” he pauses, slowly realizing how his words may have been interpreted, “it’s not that I bonded with a guy,” he adds quickly, “It’s that… my extended family is a little old-fashioned. Being a submissive is… well, let’s just say they were all pretty glad that I seemed to be dominant. Mom and Dad will be okay, I think, but everyone else…” he shrugs, but his lips purse together as the thought rolls around in his mind.

“Look, kid,” Burt steps closer and puts one hand on Blaine’s shoulder and the other on Kurt’s, “You’ll have to tell them at some point. Possibly sooner than you’d want to. But for the record, you’re welcome here, no judgment.”

Blaine manages to mumble a “thank you” before he ducks his head again and squeezes Kurt’s hand tight. He’s amazed at how Burt is taking their bonding, Blaine’s reputation not being an issue in the slightest, seemingly, but he’s not willing to question it. Especially because he has no idea how his parents, his extended family and most importantly _Cooper_ will react to him being a submissive. _Of course, Kurt’s Dad is probably so easy-going because his son is a Dom; who wouldn’t be proud of that?_ Blaine thinks and his shoulders sag a little. He barely notices Kurt’s hand tensing around his.

“Blaine, sweetheart,” Blaine does notice Kurt’s voice, soft in his ear, “Look at me, please?”

He lifts his head and meets Kurt’s eyes, trying to hide the feeling of what he can only think of as shame, reluctance to be seen as weak.

“What’s wrong?” Kurt asks worriedly, “Is it something Dad said?”

“No,” Blaine immediately shakes his head, eyes open wide, “No, definitely not.”

“Then why are you so tense, sweetheart? What’s going on in your mind?” Kurt cups Blaine’s jaw with his free hand, not separating their linked fingers, “Is this about what Coach Sylvester said?”

At the last question, Blaine feels Burt’s fingers tightening around his shoulder, a reminder that they’re not alone in the room. He glances from Kurt to his Dad and cringes inwardly when he sees the frown appearing on Burt’s forehead. Before Kurt or Blaine have a chance to say anything, Burt clears his throat and seems to steady himself.

“What did that woman do?” he asks gruffly, eyes darting between his son and Blaine, “Did she hurt either of you?”

“No, Dad, no,” Kurt reassures quickly, “Well, not in the way you might be thinking, at least.”

“What happened?” Burt asks, “One of you better tell me.”

Blaine feels the weak tug of the urge to obey, to reply and explain what happened in his submission class, but it’s not strong enough for him to follow. Instead of speaking, Blaine turns to Kurt, eyes wide and panic rising through him as he shakes his head and silently pleads Kurt to explain, because just the thought of reliving the class is making Blaine shiver.

“She’s the one in charge of lessons for Dominants and submissives, apparently,” Kurt begins to speak, his grip on Blaine’s jaw loosening but the hold on his hand remaining steady and reassuring. “Which isn’t what I’d expected from the brochures and information I was given.”

“That doesn’t sound like progress in the bonding arrangements to me,” Burt grumbles, obviously referring to Kurt’s arguments in favor of McKinley.

“It’s not,” Kurt admits, “And I don’t know why it is that way, Dad. It’s not what I was told before the transfer.”

“Something happened, didn’t it?” Burt asks and Blaine hears the anger rising in the deep voice.

“Dad, it’s not me, calm down,” Kurt struggles to keep his voice steady, “I’m exempt from classes because of Dalton’s curriculum.”

“Your soulmate and sub matters just as much as you do, Kurt,” Burt almost growls, “Now, what did she do?”

Blaine cringes again and shifts a little bit closer to Kurt, seeking reassurance as the images from his class run through his mind again. He blocks out Kurt’s voice the moment he hears the beginning of what he hopes will be a quick recap of what he’s told Kurt about the lesson. A change in Kurt’s tone is what brings him back to reality.

“Dad, I need to ask them to find an alternative for the classes,” Kurt says, a plea in his tone, “I don’t want Blaine back there with her; who knows what else she’ll try to _teach_ him.”

“She shouldn’t be in charge of any lessons at all,” Burt responds. “I’m with you on this, kiddo. But you’re both underage, so you don’t actually have full authority to withdraw him.”

“But he’s _my soulmate_ ,” Kurt stresses. “Who else would have the authority? If it’s the principal, we don’t stand a chance.”

“As your parent and legal guardian, I do,” Burt states, calmer than he was before, “Blaine, what do you think about this?”

At the question, Blaine’s eyes dart up and he looks to Kurt then to his Dad.

“I don’t… if I don’t _have to_ , I don’t want to go back,” he whispers, hand clasping around Kurt’s in an unspoken plea.

“Then we’ll do our best to make it happen,” Kurt promises, “I don’t want you there either, the way I found you…”

Blaine closes his eyes when the feeling threatens to return. He doesn’t want to even think of how the lesson made him feel, let alone have to go back and risk the same treatment again.

“First thing tomorrow,” Burt speaks up, “I’m coming with you two.” He pauses and when Blaine looks to him; Burt is staring down his son. “I don’t want to hear complaints or mentions of my heart, Kurt. If you want the whole thing to go smooth, it _will_ be easier with me already on board.”

Blaine’s eyes widen. _Does Burt not agree with their decision?_

“I am on board, Blaine,” Burt reassures him, “But Kurt might think it’s too much stress for me. We just have to hope no one in that school protests too much, so we can arrange it easily.”

“Thank you, sir,” Blaine whispers, leaning into Kurt again, as close as he dares with Burt watching.

“Now, how about a nice dinner, and then we can discuss details of what we’ll need to do tomorrow?” Burt smiles, “I’ll just go and change; Kurt doesn’t appreciate work clothes at the table.”

“More like I don’t like my dinner with the smell of oil, Dad,” Kurt calls after Burt, “Wear something nice!”

There’s a muffled ‘ _yeah, yeah_ ’ from the stairs and then Blaine is pulled into Kurt’s arms, finally breathing a little easier than he had before.


	15. Sleeping Arrangements

“I should go,” Blaine whispers, still wrapped in Kurt’s arms but breathing steadier, “I know your Dad said something about dinner, but I should go home.”

“Are your parents expecting you?” Kurt pulls away to look at Blaine, “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked before we came here.”

“You had other things on your mind, it’s okay,” Blaine smiles and lets go of Kurt to reach for his phone, “But since they weren’t home until late last night…”

“You want to tell them,” Kurt finished Blaine’s sentence with a smile. “I could… do you think it would be easier for you if I came along?”

Blaine frowns once he unlocks his phone and scrolls through the notifications he’s missed.

“It won’t be an issue tonight,” he says with a deflated tone, “since it seems they won’t be home. Mom texted me earlier; they’ve gone to Columbus and are staying until tomorrow.”

“Wait, so you’d be alone at home?” Kurt mirrors Blaine’s frown.

“Yeah, it’s not a big deal, it happens,” Blaine shrugs, “I don’t have to ask if I can stay here for dinner, though. I mean, if the offer is still on?”

“Of course it is,” Kurt replies distractedly, “I’m more worried about you driving home alone _and_ being by yourself for the night, though.”

“Kurt…” Blaine starts, but before he can protest, Kurt’s fingers make it to Blaine’s mouth and stop him.

“No, look,” Kurt looks at Blaine sternly, “You’ll say it’s okay, but you’ve had a hell of a day and I’d worry if you were by yourself. I can ask Dad…”

“Ask me what?” Burt asks, walking into the room.

Blaine attempts to protest again, but with Kurt’s finger still across his lips, his words come out as a mumble.

“Blaine’s parents are out of town until tomorrow,” Kurt explains instead, glancing toward his father, “Would it be okay if he stayed? I don’t like the idea of him being alone after everything today.”

Burt looks between the two boys and frowns, then shakes his head and sighs.

“Let’s have dinner first,” he says finally, “then we can discuss this. I’m not saying _no_ , Kurt,” he adds when Kurt opens his mouth, “I just don’t want to make decisions on an empty stomach.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Kurt gives in and drops his hand, then links his fingers with Blaine’s and starts towards the kitchen, “Come on, I’ve got some vegetable lasagna that only needs heating up. Wouldn’t want the working man to starve, would we?”

To Blaine’s relief, the dinner preparation doesn’t take too long and Kurt doesn’t seem to need much of his help, so Blaine doesn’t have to admit that cooking isn’t his forte. Instead, he gets to stand on the sidelines and only gets called in to chop some things for the salad, which he does happily. He is all too aware of Burt watching them, even though the older man is pretending to be reading. He’s not all that successful at disguising his amused looks over the edge of the paper in his hands, and Blaine blushes whenever their eyes meet. He tries to downplay it when Kurt catches on, but all of it only results in Blaine being more flustered and conscious of every move and every touch between him and Kurt. It takes until the very end of the preparation for Blaine to realize that at the very least _some_ of the seemingly accidental brushes of Kurt’s hands against him are actually anything but.

“Kurt!” he hisses when Kurt’s hands land on Blaine’s hips as he moves to the fridge.

“What?” Kurt’s eyes open wide, a look of pure innocence in his face.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Blaine whispers, glancing to Burt to make sure their exchange goes unnoticed.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Kurt smiles, “You were in the way.”

“Do you _want_ your Dad to send me home?” Blaine asks.

“I didn’t know you wanted to stay,” is Kurt’s reply.

Before Blaine has a chance to say anything, Kurt grabs the salad that Blaine was preparing and walks to the table, a smirk firmly planted on his face.

“Okay, Dad, I hope this was fast enough,” Kurt comments as he sets the food down. “Put the paper away; we’re being civilized now that we have a guest.”

“Because you don’t make me clean up when it’s just the two of us,” Burt quips, but puts everything away, “Just wait, Blaine, he’ll have you dressing up in suits for casual dinners soon.”

“I wouldn’t mind that, but only if he’s not the one cooking and I can take him out somewhere nice,” Blaine says quietly, a smile tugging on his lips as he glances to Kurt.

“Is this you asking me on a date?” Kurt narrows his eyes, “Because that delivery was smooth, but…”

“Oh no,” Blaine can’t help but laugh, “This was just me letting you know that I am likely to. I mean, if you need to brace yourself for being seen in public with me and all that.”

“It would be my pleasure; you should know that,” Kurt blushes.

“Is this you accepting a date I haven’t asked you on yet?”

Neither of them gets a chance to say any more, because instead, Burt bursts out in laughter and both Kurt and Blaine turn towards him.

“Okay, boys, seriously,” Burt says between chuckles once he starts calming down, “Are you really sure you two only met yesterday?”

“Dad, what…” Kurt starts, but then stops before asking anything.

Blaine notices his soulmate’s ears turning red and from the heat in his own face, he’s sure he isn’t doing much better. For a moment, he wonders what Burt is thinking, but the man seems mostly amused, so Blaine pushes away the panic that’s threatening to take over.

“Even if you were not already bonded,” Burt says, finally not laughing, “You two click so well, I’d have known you were soulmates anyway. The curious thing is, I don’t think I’d be able to tell who’s dominant and who’s submissive out of the two of you. Kurt, you’re in for a challenge.”

Immediately after those words ring through the kitchen, Blaine’s insecurity kicks in. _Not good enough_ , he thinks, _Burt is saying I’m not good enough, not submissive the way I should be._ He’s lost in his thoughts almost enough to miss Kurt’s response, but it does break through the noise in his ears.

“I like it that way,” Blaine hears Kurt say, amusement obvious in his voice, “Blaine’s fine the way he is; I don’t want him to turn into a … slave or a _pet_.”

Blaine relaxes a little when Kurt reaches for his hand and squeezes it gently.

“Dad, you’re the one who taught me that submissives aren’t there for Dominants to _use_ ,” Kurt speaks with a firm tone, “that a bond is not about finding a servant. _You_ are the one who bragged about Mom always standing up for herself, even though she was your sub.”

“Hey, kiddo,” Burt lifts his hands up in a defensive gesture, “I’m not saying you should want a perfectly obedient sub without a mind of their own. But,” he pauses and takes a deep breath, “your Dom instincts _will_ kick in at some point and you’ll maybe find it unsettling when Blaine does stand up to you. I know I did, until I realized it was a good thing to have in a soulmate.”

“We’ll be fine,” Kurt states with determination.

“Yeah, you will,” Burt nods, “Now, let’s eat before this goes cold.”

Blaine ducks his head towards the plate when Kurt fills it for him and wonders what he should think about the exchange between Kurt and his Dad. He’s not sure if it was Burt disapproving of Blaine speaking up for himself, if it’s Burt not liking the way they talk to each other… the way Blaine talked to Kurt. Burt doesn’t seem to be angry or upset; the smile is still on his lips whenever Blaine looks up from his food. Kurt’s hand brushes against Blaine’s often as they eat, none of them speaking beyond “pass the salad, please”, “could I have some salt?” and Kurt’s very firm “no, Dad, you don’t _need_ salt”. The last one makes Blaine glance to Burt with an apologetic expression, and it’s the only time that Burt looks anything less than content.

“Okay, boys,” Burt finally interrupts the silence when their plates are cleared off the table, “I have a game to catch up on in the den. No disappearing behind closed doors, please.”

“Dad, but…” Kurt starts, obviously eager to repeat the question from before dinner about Blaine staying over.

“Kid?” Burt turns to Blaine instead, “Would your parents be okay with you staying?”

“I don’t think they would mind,” Blaine shrugs, “I’ve stayed at Puck’s before, even Quinn’s a few times. In the guest room, of course,” he adds hastily.

“I’m guessing with Quinn, it was a moot point and unless Puck…” Kurt grins but stops when Blaine’s eyes widen and Kurt shakes his head, still obviously amused. “Yeah, no, I didn’t think Puck changed teams.”

“Kurt can get the spare bedroom ready for you,” Burt nods, “After what I heard about your day, I’d feel better too if you didn’t drive home or stay alone.”

“Thank you, sir,” Blaine replies quietly, his head down to the floor. He can’t quite hide the small smile that emerges on his face at the thought of spending the night so close to Kurt.

The night before wasn’t exactly dangerously _hard_ , being away from his soulmate, but he still didn’t sleep too well, the bond between them keeping him just balanced enough. Thinking that he’ll be in the same house, though, within walking distance from his Dom, should he panic or feel the need for reassurance is already comforting.

“Thank you, Dad,” Kurt echoes Blaine’s words and reaches for Blaine’s hand, “Come on, we’ll clean up and then we’ll watch a movie, if that’s okay?”

“Something happy?” Blaine looks to Kurt hopefully, the stress of the day making him yearn for something simple and fun.

“Sure, I’ll show you my collection and you can pick one,” Kurt grins happily as they pick up the plates from the table, “Dad, you’ll be…” He turns to Burt, whose presence Blaine has almost forgotten already.

“I have a game to watch,” Burt repeats, “But I’ll be keeping the door open, so no funny business, boys!” he adds with a stern look.

“ _Dad!_ ” Kurt protests again, a blush rising in his cheeks, “Please leave the lecture, I had quite enough of that yesterday.”

Burt chuckles as he walks out of the kitchen, leaving them alone. Blaine turns to Kurt with curiosity, the last exchange poking at his mind.

“Your Dad gave you a _talk_?” he asks.

“Yeah, _the_ talk,” Kurt groans, “It was the most embarrassing experience ever. I mean, we did only meet a few hours before and just about kissed and there he was, talking about rules and limits and _protection_ and…”

Blaine’s mind fogs over at the mention of what Burt was lecturing Kurt about but also the kisses from the day before. He knows he wouldn’t mind a repeat of those, but he doesn’t think he’ll have the courage to ask.

“He did say one thing, though,” Kurt stops at the sink and turns to Blaine, then cups his jaw and to Blaine’s surprise, leans in for a quick kiss, “There’s no reason for us to rush into anything. Whatever we do, whatever we _have_ matters. _You_ matter, Blaine, regardless of what some old bat might have tried to tell you.”

Blaine nods and lets the words roll around in his mind, trying hard to believe them.

“It’s…” he whispers, “I do believe you, Kurt. But she isn’t the only one who thinks that submissives are not important.”

“Well, it isn’t really up to her to decide, is it, sweetheart?” Kurt smiles and gently rubs a thumb over Blaine’s cheek, “You’re _mine_ , and no one else gets to tell me what you mean to me.”

“Okay,” Blaine manages to say, the fog around his mind already taking over thanks to Kurt’s touch, “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me,” Kurt replies and lets his hand drop, “Now, I wash and you dry and then we can pile up cushions on the floor and watch something to cheer us both up, okay?”

“Yes, sir,” Blaine smirks, the title said with a joking tone this time, the mood between them lighter already.

“Oh, you’ll be a challenge, all right,” Kurt quips, “Let’s see if I can get that cheek to work for me.”

Kurt grabs a tea towel off the rack next to him and tosses it to Blaine, aiming it so it lands across Blaine’s face.

“For now, get to work,” he says and Blaine nods, the order vibrating through him, anchoring him just as much as the feeling of Kurt’s hip against his.


	16. Pillow Fort

Once the dishes are cleaned and tidied away, the boys head to the sitting room in silence. Kurt’s the first one to break it, pointing to the shelf that’s brimming full of DVDs.

“Like I said, feel free to pick whatever you’re in the mood for,” he tells Blaine with a smile. “They’re mostly mine and unless you choose an anthology of the Ohio State football team, I can’t think of any that I wouldn’t like, so please don’t worry about that.”

Blaine scans across the backs of the cases and wonders what movie would put his mind at ease. He hears shuffling behind his back as he reads the titles, but he doesn’t look that way until he’s picked a movie.

“Is this one okay?” he asks while he’s still turning around, then freezes and his jaw drops.

Kurt has pulled cushions off the back of the couch and added some blankets on the top. Blaine didn’t expect a full-on pillow fort, but that is exactly what he is looking at.

“Wow, that’s… wow,” he stutters and lets a grin take over his face.

“I thought we’d want a bit of a shelter from reality for a little while,” Kurt smiles and Blaine notices the blush rising on his cheeks, “If you think it’s too much…”

“No,” Blaine interrupts Kurt’s rambling and walks closer. “It’s perfect,” he whispers, “You’re perfect.”

“Flattery, Mr. Anderson?” Kurt laughs and wraps his arms around Blaine’s waist. “I’d almost suspect you’re trying to sneak your way into something.”

“I wouldn’t,” Blaine gasps. “Is that what you think of me?”

“I don’t know yet. Let me mull this over for a while,” Kurt says, “and show me what you picked.”

“You had Disney movies,” Blaine tells him and holds up the box, “so I figured it’s never a bad time for a fairy tale.”

“That’s perfect,” Kurt nods. “Was the dinner enough or would you like some snacks?”

“Dinner was enough, thank you,” Blaine says and lets Kurt take the DVD out of his hand, “but if you want anything, I can wait until you get it.”

Kurt shakes his head and puts the DVD into the player, then slips under the blanket roof of the fort he built and glances to Blaine.

“So, are you joining me, or are you staying out there?” he grins.

Blaine doesn’t wait for more of an invitation and sits next to Kurt, his back against the couch, legs bent underneath him. Kurt nudges him first, then his arm wraps around Blaine’s shoulders and Blaine feels the tug to lean into Kurt’s side. He isn’t sure how close he should get, but he relaxes the moment Kurt’s fingers find the slightly messy curls at the top of Blaine’s neck.

“I like the way your hair curls,” Blaine hears Kurt whisper.

He doesn’t get a chance to respond because Kurt presses the play button and the music from the opening credits to _Mulan_ fills the room. Blaine wonders for a moment how he missed Kurt skipping through the inevitable DVD ads, but he doesn’t get to dwell on it. Between the movie itself and Kurt’s fingers still playing with Blaine’s hair, there isn’t much else that finds space in his mind.

“So why did you pick this one?” Kurt asks quietly.

When Blaine turns to look at him, Kurt’s eyes are firmly on the TV screen, but Blaine has a feeling they weren’t moments earlier.

“I don’t know, mostly the music,” Blaine shrugs. “I do like Mulan, though, she’s badass.”

“Like you?” Kurt smirks and looks away from the movie.

“I wish,” Blaine sighs, “I mean, I can hold my own when it comes to it, but she goes fighting in a war; I don’t know if I’d be brave enough to do that.”

“I think you would,” Kurt says, leaning in a little closer than he already is. “You managed to hold off the bullies at McKinley, that speaks volumes.”

“That was pretty much by accident,” Blaine tries to dismiss the comment.

“The right hook at Karofsky wasn’t, from what I’ve heard.”

Blaine tenses and then shifts until he’s facing Kurt properly. His eyes narrow as he watches Kurt’s smile and the eyebrow that moves up a little, as if to challenge Blaine.

“What exactly has Puck been telling you?” Blaine asks, suddenly a little worried that his best friend might have tried to help in his own, often misguided way.

“I heard,” Kurt starts and laughs a little, “from Quinn, actually, that Karofsky was about to out and humiliate someone and when you heard, you cornered him and the punch was a promise of things to come if he went through with his plan.”

“Oh,” Blaine breathes out when the description sinks in, “yeah, that is pretty accurate.”

Instead of saying more, Kurt brings his hand up to Blaine’s face and leans in, pressing their lips together for a moment, then pulls away and Blaine very nearly whimpers at the loss.

“That’s a brave thing to do, all things considered,” Kurt says after a beat, “especially since it was someone who was unlikely to show _any_ sort of gratitude for it.”

“She doesn’t know that was the reason,” Blaine mutters, “and it’s not like she didn’t get outed by the Glee club maybe a month after that anyway.”

“Was it less vicious than what Karofsky would have done?” Kurt asks with genuine curiosity.

“Yeah, I guess,” Blaine nods, “At least Puck backed her there and none of the people in Glee are homophobic… not anymore, at least.”

He pauses then, the information sinking in slowly, and he frowns.

“Wait a second, you know Santana?”

“Remember how I mentioned being in Glee at Dalton?” Kurt asks and waits for Blaine to nod. “She was with the McKinley club when we faced them at Sectionals and she was sort of hard to miss.”

“Was that the time she yelled down Mr. Schuester in front of the entire audience?”

“It was, including choice Spanish words and several threats,” Kurt laughs lightly. “I’d say it did work, since they had much better songs at Regionals after that.”

“I think they outvoted Mr. Schue,” Blaine joins in the laughter, “And it’s not like anyone can blame them, his choices of songs were ridiculous.”

“Why was it that you didn’t join?” Kurt’s voice is laced with curiosity. “If you’d been with them, I don’t think we would have made it past Sectionals.”

“Rachel,” Blaine says with a tone that carries a little bit of the bitterness that the rejection caused. “I made the mistake of not going through Mr. Schuester, but tried to walk in on a rehearsal. I was told, very convincingly, that it’s not a club for,” he lifts his hands to mime air quotes, “ _delinquents who think that ruining the atmosphere will somehow get them out of juvie and detention_.”

“But, isn’t Puck…” Kurt frowns, “Puck mentioned when I talked to him that he’s in Glee. How did _he_ get in and you didn’t?”

“Oh, for him it was actually a part of working off multiple things he’s done,” Blaine smirks, then turns serious again. “He did offer to get me in, but by then I wasn’t interested anymore.”

“If I try, would you join with me?”

The question comes out of the blue and Blaine stares at Kurt with his mouth hanging a little open. He blinks when Kurt runs a finger over the slightly shaky bottom lip. A moment later, Blaine nods and ducks his head. Kurt didn’t say that Blaine _has to_ agree, but the idea of being separated for most afternoons when they’re already in different classes in the mornings is something Blaine finds less tolerable than facing Rachel. He is sure that if it meant more time with Kurt, he would probably even take the occasional slushee in his face.

“If you wanted me to, I would,” he whispers into the silence.

When he realizes that the room is completely quiet, he glances to the TV and notices that the movie is paused. Blaine turns to Kurt who shrugs and mumbles that neither of them was watching anyway.

“Do you want to go back to watching?” Blaine asks, torn between wanting to escape and wanting to talk to Kurt more and ‘ _maybe, maybe something else,_ ’ he thinks.

“Not really,” Kurt admits. “I thought it would help you relax after everything, but if you don’t think so, we can find a better way. Unless you’re okay now,” Kurt wonders and looks at Blaine sternly, his tone firm but caring when he continues. “Tell me how you feel, Blaine. Don’t lie, please, don’t try and make light of things.”

Blaine takes a deep breath as the order washes over him and he immediately feels the effects on his mind and body, the fuzziness still so new he doesn’t know what to do with it.

“I’m better,” he says and then clears his throat when his voice comes out a little raspy. “I mean, I’ve been better, before today, but I’m not…” he pauses, trying to rummage through his brain for an appropriate word.

His eyes narrow as he thinks, and he feels Kurt’s eyes on him. Blaine knows Kurt is waiting and giving him time to think, but there’s a _want_ crawling underneath his skin, an urge to answer well and answer quick, to _please_ , to make Kurt happy. His mind derails for a moment as he tries to figure out if he felt like that immediately, but a gentle touch against his cheek snaps him back.

_Focus, B, answer the question_ , he chastises himself mentally.

He still doesn’t have a clear explanation in his mind, so he rambles a little when his mouth opens.

“I don’t know _how_ I am, I can’t put it into words,” he sighs, and instead of looking at Kurt, Blaine studies the threads on Kurt’s T-shirt. “I’m still worried about the Karofsky thing, I’m wondering if the classes issue will work out…” Blaine takes another deep breath and lifts his head to face Kurt. “But you’re here and none of that seems that bad.”

He focuses on the way Kurt’s face changes from concerned to relieved and doesn’t miss the hint of amusement in the blue eyes.

“I’m glad,” Kurt says quietly, “but I still want to know if there’s something more I can do, sweetheart.”

There it is, the pet name, like a caress on Blaine’s heart and mind. The effect seems immediate, he relaxes in Kurt’s arms and sighs, the softness enveloping him like a protective cocoon. He doesn’t get to stay that way too long, or slip away further, though, because almost in the same moment as his eyes begin to glaze over, Kurt’s voice is there, calling him back.

“I need you here, Blaine,” Kurt whispers, “I don’t know how you go into that place so easily,” he continues, almost as if talking to himself, and Blaine hears the worry in Kurt’s tone, “but we do still need to talk with clear minds.”

“It’s safe,” Blaine mutters, emerging from the bubble of what he _thinks_ might be subspace. “It feels like I’m safe when you call me that. When you’re around.”

“We should talk some more, though, because I don’t know…”

Kurt pauses and Blaine’s senses go on alert. He wonders what Kurt thinks they need to talk about right in that moment, and whether it’s something Blaine should be worried about.

“Talk about what?” he asks, his curiosity stronger than his fear of the answer.

“Can I kiss you?” Kurt blurts out, not answering Blaine’s question.

“You don’t have to ask,” Blaine says with a soft smile, “I was hoping we would… do that.”

He wants to tell Kurt that he is maybe hoping for a little more, that he feels the urge to ask for things he didn’t dare to even dream about until now. But then Kurt’s lips are on his for a moment and Blaine forgets everything else.

“I don’t want to assume,” Kurt mutters into the kiss, “I don’t want to overstep any lines you might have.”

“No lines,” Blaine hears his voice getting a little rough with want. “You can kiss me whenever.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” Kurt smirks, his lips only just not touching Blaine’s.

Blaine feels himself being tugged closer and then Kurt’s fingers are at the back of his neck again, tugging on the curls that escaped the carefully applied gel. The pull and the touch are enough to make him drift away again, slowly at first, then faster when their lips touch again. 


	17. Finding Comfort

It’s Blaine who pulls away first, dragging himself out of the haze that he’s falling into, still somewhat aware of what is happening. When his hands move from his sides and reach for Kurt’s waist, his mind snaps back to full awareness and he pulls them back at the same time as he breaks the kiss.

“I’m sorry, I…” he stumbles over his words and ducks his head down, “I didn’t mean to…”

“Blaine?” Kurt asks and reaches out to tip Blaine’s face up. “What is it that you’re panicking about?”

“Touching,” Blaine whispers, feeling his cheeks heat up, “I don’t know if you’d be okay with me touching you and when my hands moved… we didn’t talk about what’s okay and what’s not,” he finishes weakly with a shrug.

“Are you okay with me touching you?” Kurt wonders and Blaine can see the worry in his soulmate’s face.

“I am, but you didn’t really…” he starts, but stops when he sees Kurt shake his head.

“That _was_ me on top of you yesterday, in case you’ve forgotten,” Kurt says. “Maybe we should have talked about it then, because I don’t know what’s okay either.”

“I guess we should, but…” Blaine frowns.

He knows it’s a conversation that he isn’t completely ready to have. There are lines they they need to find and he doesn’t know anything at all, his experience equalling to the occasional dream he woke up from, being a teenage boy. He has seen certain things online, but it all felt wrong to even think about without being bonded.

“I don’t know where to start either,” Kurt admits and Blaine’s eyes widen in surprise at Kurt saying the one thing he’s been debating himself.

“Maybe…” Blaine takes a deep breath before starting to explain what he’s thinking, “...just now, I didn’t feel the same as when you tell me what to do. It wasn’t the same haze. But I… when we’re kissing, is it okay if I touch you? Not anywhere, uh, I mean, just…” he tries to add but he can’t find the words.

“Blaine, breathe,” Kurt stops Blaine’s rambling, “please, slow down.”

“I’m sorry,” Blaine blushes and sighs.

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Kurt reassures him and reaches for Blaine’s hands. “We’re _both_ new to this, remember? And there is a reason I can’t stop myself from touching you. I’m sorry, I never even thought to ask if you were okay with it,” he frowns, “I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“I don’t mind,” Blaine whispers. “I _really_ , really don’t mind.”

“Then why do you think I will?” Kurt challenges with a small smile. “This is not only about me, Blaine, it’s not only what _I_ want. I’ve been thinking… wanting...” Blaine looks up when Kurt pauses and finds his soulmate’s face turning a shade of red similar to his own.

He doesn’t say anything, though, doesn’t urge Kurt to continue even though it’s tempting to ask what is on Kurt’s mind. Blaine’s own mind immediately supplies scenarios that don’t help the way he’s feeling. He still wants badly to touch Kurt, to know what he would feel like under his fingers, how far they can go without it being _too much_.

“I didn’t even _dream_ of the things I want right now,” Kurt finally speaks again. “It’s part of why I panic a little when you start falling into your … space,” Kurt says, “because I don’t know, if you’re just letting go that way and trusting me, if I’d be able to _stop_ when I should.”

A shiver runs down Blaine’s spine at the thought of all the possibilities. He’s suddenly reduced to a puddle of very excited, curious and _tempted_ boy, Kurt’s words rushing from his mind straight down.

“Kurt, you…” he manages to whisper, “you can’t just say things like that. I…” Blaine pauses and his hands twitch a little in Kurt’s, “Whatever it is that you want, you should try me.”

“You’re not helping my resolve to be a gentleman and a good Dom, Blaine,” Kurt groans.

The sound vibrates through Blaine. He takes a deep breath and then words tumble out of his mouth before he gets a chance to overthink them.

“Maybe I don’t need you to be a gentleman,” he says and blushes, but his eyebrow raises a little, his lips curling into a smile that’s a mix of shy and challenging.

Kurt’s eyes fly open and his jaw drops, but then he reaches for Blaine’s wrist. He pulls it free from the grasp of Blaine's other hand where they're clasped together on his thighs and tugs on it gently, moving it towards his own waist.

“Okay,” Kurt whispers. “How about here, is this what you wanted to do?”

Blaine fights against the urge to press his fingers into Kurt’s body, but they twitch a little despite his attempt. He nods and then sees Kurt lean back in, their lips touching again. The lack of background noise magnifies the little moan that escapes from Blaine’s mouth when Kurt’s tongue darts out and slides over Blaine’s lips.

“Yeah,” Blaine mumbles into the kiss and digs his other hand into his leg.

He isn’t sure how fast or slow time is passing around them as the kiss continues and deepens a little, both of them getting bolder slowly. Blaine feels like he’s melting into it, his thoughts muddled and unclear, until he feels a sudden coolness hit his mouth. His eyelids slowly flutter open and he meets Kurt’s eyes, wide and with a glint that he’s sure is reflected in his own.

“We’re…” Kurt says in a hushed tone, smiling, “not too bad at this kissing thing, I’d say.”

“Yeah, you’re _really_ good at this,” Blaine says and then pulls his lower lip between his teeth for a moment, unable to hold back a giddy grin.

“Okay, maybe we should get back to the movie,” comes out of Kurt’s mouth, to Blaine’s surprise, “we did agree on _slow_ and…”

Blaine watches with fascination as Kurt’s cheeks turn a darker red and he nods then, knowing that with the thoughts swirling around his mind, he would find it all too easy to get carried away.

“Yeah,” he nods, but makes no move to let Kurt go yet, his fingers tensing around the slender waist. “Yeah, I guess… what was the movie again?”

“Come on,” Kurt chuckles and shifts a little so he’s leaning on the couch behind them, “come here and we’ll finish watching. Dad might pop in later, and I really don’t want to get another _talk_.”

Blaine shivers a little and hums in agreement, then moves to where Kurt is pointing, curling himself up and letting his head drop onto Kurt’s thigh. His fingers wriggle as he’s trying to talk himself out of resting them on Kurt’s knee. That is, until Kurt reaches across and moves Blaine’s hand until his palm is flat against the muscles of Kurt’s leg. Then Blaine feels fingers in the loosened curls at the back of his head again and he sighs and relaxes into the touch. The sound of the TV fills the room, and he tries to refocus on the images in front of him.

“Your styling choices are making this difficult,” Kurt grumbles a little while later when he reaches a part of Blaine’s hair that is still gelled down.

“‘s easier for the helmet,” Blaine mumbles, sounding and feeling almost sleepy, “doesn’t look stupid when I take it off.”

“We’ll explore possibilities later,” Kurt says and tugs gently at the strands, sending sparks down Blaine’s back. “I like doing this.”

“I like when you do,” Blaine counters. “It’s nice.”

“Good, because I’m not planning on stopping,” Kurt laughs. “But we’ll have to find a way to not have gel everywhere. I mean, you do look all dapper with it, but…”

“Don’t the jeans ruin that image?” Blaine asks and turns a little to look up to Kurt.

“No, sweetheart,” Kurt smiles. “I can see how good you are underneath all that get-up.”

Blaine immediately relaxes more than he is already, because the pet name is already becoming a trigger for him to start drifting off, his mind clouding over. He turns back to the TV with a hum and tightens his fingers around Kurt’s leg, then rubs a thumb along the seam of the skintight jeans. Kurt goes back to playing with and tugging on Blaine’s hair, freeing it strand by strand from the hold of the gel that Blaine is already regretting.

_If I want Kurt to do this_ , he thinks, _I’ll need to come up with a better way to keep my hair looking decent_.

The movie continues on, but Blaine can’t bring himself to pay attention, his mind focused on the brushes of Kurt’s fingers against his skin. Each of them sends a new spark down his back, warmth and the feeling of safety taking over his still slightly shaky body.

“Hey boys,” interrupts their movie towards the end.

“Shh,” Blaine hears Kurt hush his Dad. “Don’t wake him!”

Blaine wants to protest, say something about not being asleep, but it’s then that he realizes that he’s as good as asleep, his mind fuzzy and distant. He listens to Burt talk to Kurt quietly, but it feels like they’re behind a glass wall or a waterfall. He can hear them, but not that clearly, only catching some of the words properly.

“Kurt, we had an agreement about sleeping arrangements,” Burt says gruffly.

“Dad, really, Blaine’s asleep,” Kurt sighs with exasperation. “What exactly do you think will happen? And _please_ for the love of all that is holy, do not bring up _Brokeback Mountain_ again.”

Another huff later, Blaine hears Burt mutter something that sounds like “fine then, but stay _here_ ”. Then the room goes quiet and Blaine feels a gentle tug on his shoulder, followed by Kurt’s caring tone.

“Sweetheart?” Kurt says as he tries to get Blaine to react. “Dad said we can stay here, but we’ll need to change out of jeans and into something more comfortable.”

Blaine hums and turns towards Kurt. “‘m not asleep,” he says, wondering for a moment why his voice seems so distant.

“Of course you’re not, sweetheart,” Kurt chuckles and Blaine can’t stop the small pout that takes over his face. “You wait here, I’ll go get us something to wear for the night.”

“Not going anywhere,” Blaine says, and feels Kurt lifting his head then gently lowering it on a pillow he shoved in his spot.

“No, you really are not,” Kurt says with a quiet laugh, then Blaine feels lips brushing against his forehead and a whoosh of air as Kurt rushes out of the room.

Barely any time seems to pass before the whooshing of the air comes back and Blaine’s shoulder is being shaken again, so he reluctantly opens his eyes. Kurt is in front of him, out of the amazing outfit that he wore to school, but looking no less breathtaking to Blaine in his crisp navy pajama set.

“Hi,” Blaine grins and then glances down when he realizes that he’s being handed a bundle of clothes.

“Here, I figured this would look good on you,” Kurt says with a sheepish grin as he’s handing the clothes over. “There’s a bathroom over there,” he motions towards the front door. “Go and change and then we can sleep properly.”

“Okay,” Blaine nods and grabs the soft clothes. He turns in the direction that Kurt pointed him to, but then, almost as an afterthought that won’t leave him alone, he turns back, looks to Kurt with a slightly unfocused look and tacks on, “yes, sir.”

Blaine doesn’t see Kurt’s reaction, because he immediately turns towards the bathroom, but he doesn’t miss the sharp inhale that follows. With a smile playing on his lips and a feeling of “I’ve done good”, he rushes into the bathroom to change. He is pretty sure he’s never changed clothes as fast as he does once he’s behind the door. One glance into the mirror tells him that his hair is unsalvageable and since he doesn’t know where his gel bottle is or if he brought a comb in his school bag, Blaine runs some water over the strands and washes out as much as he dares.

“Might as well not hide this either,” he mutters to himself when he sees the curls slowly escaping the hold.

Then, tugging on the edge of the T-shirt that Kurt gave him to wear and trying to not trip over the slightly too long sweatpants, he walks out of the bathroom and heads towards the pillow fort.


	18. In Dreams

Blaine wakes from a fitful sleep, his mind still fuzzy from everything the day before, and he’s a little disoriented at first. It’s not a familiar bed he’s in, the blanket haphazardly thrown over him isn’t wrapped in the bedding he’s used to. And then there’s warmth next to him that he’s just as much of a stranger to. His leg is thrown over someone’s thigh. _Kurt_ , Blaine’s mind supplies helpfully and he stirs, the slight movement shifting his body almost imperceptibly closer to the sleep-warmed slender boy next to him. A hum escapes Blaine’s lips and he can’t help it, his hips jerk forward and towards the warmth that’s like a siren call.

Want, pure and undiluted, courses through him, one that he hasn’t known before, besides an occasional morning when he woke up from dreams of bonding, of closeness like only hormones can summon in sleep. Blaine has never let himself dwell on that, though, didn’t allow his mind to linger on the sleep-induced wish. Being here with Kurt, having an arm wrapped around the waist that’s narrower than his own, brings those dreams back, though, and Blaine slowly realizes why he pushed them away in the past. Beyond not wanting to feel the sting of being alone, thinking of the dreams he used to have and relating them to the feeling he has now, he knows that they were all of him not leading but following.

He slides his head closer and rests his lips against the silky fabric of the pajamas on Kurt’s shoulder where they are slightly bunched up. Blaine barely dares to breathe, because waking Kurt up might mean that he’ll be told that it’s too much, that Kurt doesn’t like having Blaine wrapped around him, limbs all over, fingers clutching on the thin fabric.

“Sweetheart,” Kurt’s rough voice interrupts the silence, and Blaine freezes for a second.

Then he feels fingers tracing the line where his hair is curled at the back of his neck and the tickling sensation almost immediately morphs into deliciously arousing sparks that he experienced the evening before. He presses closer, his entire torso lined up to Kurt’s side, then tries to clench his eyes closed and will away the hard on that he feels growing where his hips are snug against Kurt’s side. It’s futile though, because Kurt tugs on his curls next and wiggles his hips until there is no space between them and Blaine’s crotch.

“Kurt,” Blaine breathes out into Kurt’s shoulder and curls in closer, his fingers wrinkling the pajamas where he’s gripping tight.

He won’t touch, won’t move, he hasn’t been told to or permitted this time. The echo of Kurt’s permission the night before hits him, but he doesn’t want to assume that it made touching something that’s _always_ allowed. The submissive part of him that he’s still only discovering is stopping him from actively working for contact beyond the one they already have. Blaine opens his eyes and gazes at the sight he’s met with: Kurt’s collarbones uncovered and framed with the dark blue fabric, ready to be admired and touched. His mind starts fogging over and he lets go, closes his eyes again and wills himself to just take what he’s given. Kurt’s fingers tangled into his hair, the warmth of the body Blaine is leaning into, the caress on the back of the hand that he has tightly wrapped around the side of Kurt’s pajama top.

“Shhh, I’m here sweetheart,” Kurt suddenly whispers and Blaine, even through the haze he’s falling into rapidly, realizes that he’s not the only one awake.

“Sir?”

The word is out of Blaine’s mouth before he can think about it, his mind half conscious and half already on its way to the soft, cottony place he only just began discovering. He feels Kurt’s chest rise with the gasp that echoes through the room, but it’s not enough to shake Blaine back into reality. The feeling is like falling, letting go of everything, like being tied up on strings and someone cutting them off one by one.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s hair moments later, his voice reaching Blaine through the fog that blanks out everything else. “I’m here, I’ve got you.”

Blaine feels, at the edge’s of his mind, the only sharp spots when everything else is blurring, that he’s shaking a little, trembling against Kurt’s body. He doesn’t have the strength to stop it, nor can he explain to Kurt that it’s not fear. _It’s anticipation_ , he thinks as the puzzle pieces begin to fit.

“Try and get some more sleep,” he hears Kurt say, the voice muffled a little more. “I’ll still be here in the morning, I promise.”

Then Blaine feels the pressure against his skin again, the gentle pull on his hair and the sparks return, shooting down his spine and making him groan into Kurt’s skin. He tries to hold back, tries not to do anything that might be too much, but eventually he gives in to his body and presses himself into Kurt’s side. Instead of Kurt pulling away, Blaine feels a shiver run down the other boy’s body and then Kurt’s arm wraps around Blaine’s shoulders. He gets pulled closer yet, snug against Kurt’s body, and when Blaine’s leg slides a little higher between Kurt’s thighs, there’s no mistaking that Blaine isn’t the only one affected by the closeness.

“Sleep now, beautiful,” Kurt says with a raspy voice. “You’re okay.”

That’s the incentive that seems to get Blaine’s mind to relax and he drifts off into sleep this time, more content than the one he woke up from.

When Blaine begins waking up again, he almost immediately starts blushing, because he realizes he’s still clinging on to Kurt, fingers clutching on the pajamas, leg wrapped around Kurt’s thigh. But he’s being held just as tightly, so he pushes the panic away and evens his breathing out, then turns his head until he’s looking up at Kurt’s face.

“Morning,” Blaine mumbles when Kurt’s eyes flutter open.

“Hey beautiful,” Kurt says back quietly, a smile lighting up his face. “How are you feeling?”

“Good,” Blaine says, eyes widening a little at the endearment from Kurt. “Sleepy, still.”

“We’ll have to get up soon,” Kurt sighs with obvious disappointment.

“Later.” Blaine ducks his head into Kurt’s shoulder and breathes in the scent of Kurt’s skin mixed with the detergent off the pajamas.

Then he feels and hears Kurt’s agreeing hum, followed by Kurt’s fingers sliding between the strands of Blaine’s hair. Almost immediately, Blaine feels the effect the touch has on him, his cock twitching against the soft fabric of the sweatpants. He tries to move his hips to not give away just how turned on he’s getting, but Kurt reaches over and holds Blaine in place.

“Don’t,” Blaine hears Kurt whisper into the quiet room. “I want to know what you like. I want to _do_ the things you like.”

“ _Kurt_ ,” comes out of Blaine’s mouth, and he’s too distracted to be ashamed of it sounding like a whimper.

It’s not a deliberately teasing touch, but between Kurt’s hand in Blaine’s hair and the other one on his waist, combined with Kurt turning around until Blaine’s thigh is held between Kurt’s legs, it’s enough for Blaine to arch his back a little, moving his hips closer.

“Let me see you, Blaine,” Kurt says with a firm tone, and Blaine immediately turns his face to Kurt.

The voice that comes out of Kurt’s mouth is a little deeper than normal, betraying the arousal that he is, to Blaine’s surprise, managing to keep out of his face. There’s no indication that Kurt is affected by their lack of physical boundary as Blaine is, besides the look in Kurt’s eyes. They’re wide and dark, and Blaine can see things in them he didn’t dream of before. He takes the sight in, then feels a tug on the back part of his hair and his head falls back, exposing his neck to Kurt.

“Soon, sweetheart,” Kurt continues when Blaine lets out a small moan. “We’ll find a time and a place and try more. You’re so perfect, Blaine, so good.”

“Thank you,” Blaine manages a whisper as his breathing quickens.

“We only have a little while now,” Kurt sighs. “And I don’t want Dad to walk in on us. But today, after school, can we talk a little more about this?”

“About what?” Blaine’s head snaps back and he is more alert immediately. “You mean _us_? Is there something…”

Kurt eases Blaine’s onset of a small frenzy by cupping his jaw again, and Blaine feels the thumb rubbing over his cheek.

“No, sweetheart, nothing is wrong,” Kurt says soothingly, “but I have a feeling we should see if either of us has lines we don’t want crossed. I mean, whatever speed we decide, it’s possible we’ll get carried away, and I don’t want to push you into something you don’t want.”

“I just…” Blaine swallows and tries to breathe slowly, “I want to…”

He hesitates, the words ‘ _I want to be good for you_ ’ rolling around in his mind. It seems too soon to him, somehow, considering they barely just met, but it’s the only thing he can think of. There’s a fear of losing himself that’s nagging at the back of his mind for a moment, though not strong enough to make him feel like he wants to run away. Blaine takes a deep breath and decides that he wants Kurt to know, that hiding how he feels is not going to help either of them.

“I want to do whatever you want,” he whispers, not turning his eyes away from Kurt’s. “Anything you want, sir.”

It’s only then, with the word ‘sir’, that Blaine ducks his head and breathes in. He doesn’t stay like that too long; his chin is pulled up almost immediately by Kurt’s hand until they’re looking at each other again. Blaine notices the smile on Kurt’s lips and his own turn up too, though with a little more hesitation.

“Sweetheart, remember I said this isn’t only about me?” Kurt asks and waits for Blaine to nod. “I want you to tell me if there’s anything _you_ want or need, okay? I can’t be happy if you’re not.”

“Okay,” Blaine whispers and then Kurt is leaning in to press their lips together.

The fog descends around Blaine’s mind the moment they start kissing, and his hand grips on the pajama fabric. He’s still holding back, not letting himself get carried away completely because Kurt’s suggestion that they talk is echoing in his mind. But it’s getting harder to stay in reality when Kurt’s soft lips are pressed against his, when he feels the tentative licks of Kurt’s tongue over his own. The sparks that Blaine is beginning to crave are running down his spine again, and he moans a little into the kiss, feeling the urge to move closer to Kurt. It’s definitely not accidental when he feels his cock harden and when he’s pulled in close, their lips snugly together, and Blaine feels Kurt’s own arousal through the layers of fabric.

“So, I’m presuming that you’ll not try to tell me how tents are completely innocent and nothing ever happens in them, kiddo,” Burt’s voice booms through the living room all of a sudden, and Blaine gasps at the same time as Kurt groans with frustration.

“Dad!”

“Breakfast time,” Burt smirks at them when they look out from under the surprisingly still intact pillow fort. “We have a meeting to go to at McKinley, and by the looks of it, the sooner Blaine gets to his sub classes, the better.”

“Seriously, Dad, please don’t,” Kurt frowns. “We’ll be in the kitchen in a minute.”

“No detours or distractions,” Burt warns, but Blaine spots a smile emerging on the man’s face. “I know how long you take to get ready, so don’t start on ‘five more minutes, Dad’.”

“Like I’d even think about it now,” Kurt mutters under his breath. “Nothing quite like a parent to kill the mood.”

“Come on, boys,” Burt laughs at Kurt’s grumpy tone. “There’s food in the fridge and soon there will be coffee in the machine. Get yourselves presentable so we can get there early.”

“Are you driving?” Kurt asks, and Blaine shivers when the blanket moves as Kurt scrambles up, one hand still in contact with Blaine, like he’s afraid to break the connection.

“No,” Burt shakes his head. “I have to head to the garage once we’re done, but how about you drive Blaine and then you come here after. I’d rather have you under my roof than somewhere in an abandoned parking lot.”

“ _Dad!_ ” Kurt protests loudly and lifts his hands to cover his face, breaking the connection to Blaine.

That is what Blaine needs to completely wake up and, though slightly mortified, he shuffles to Kurt’s side and nudges his shoulder.

“Come on, let’s get this over and done with,” he says quietly. “I want to know if I can get away from _those_ classes.”

Kurt shivers when Blaine mentions the submission class and shakes his head. Then Blaine is tugged off the cushions and towards the kitchen, feeling the comfort of Kurt’s guidance.


	19. Another Way

Blaine shifts in the passenger seat of Kurt’s car like he can’t find a comfortable spot and sighs. He’s still a little thrown off from the morning conversation and being caught making out by Burt, and the conversation that they’re about to have at McKinley is making him jittery. Kurt glances over a few times on the drive but doesn’t comment on Blaine’s restlessness. But once they pull into a spot and get out of the car, Kurt walks around to Blaine and stops him from rushing into the school building.

“Dad will take another few minutes,” Kurt says and reaches for Blaine’s hand.

They’re hidden from everyone’s view by Kurt’s car, as Blaine notices when he looks around quickly. He grips Kurt’s hand tight and ducks his head.

“So, what’s got you on the edge, sweetheart?” Kurt asks.

Blaine blushes at the pet name and bites down on his bottom lip first, then looks up slowly and offers a weak smile.

“Do you think your Dad is mad at us?” he asks with a small hitch in his voice.

They didn’t get a chance to talk about the morning, not with Burt hovering around while Kurt looked for some clothes for Blaine to wear to school and them both changing out of their pajamas and getting ready. Blaine has been beating himself up mentally since they emerged from the pillow fort, because that wasn’t the impression he wanted to make on his soulmate’s family.

“Dad? No, he’s not mad,” Kurt shakes his head. “He’ll be teasing me for weeks about this morning, but if he was mad, we wouldn’t have basically gotten his approval for coming to my house to be alone this afternoon.”

“Wait, he won’t be home?” Blaine’s jaw drops a little.

He assumed Burt offered their house because he would be there, chaperoning, for lack of a better word.

“No, since he won’t be opening up the shop today, he’ll stay until closing,” Kurt explains. “It’s a deal he has with the other guys.”

“Oh,” Blaine blushes as the implications of it settle in.

“So, we’ll have a few hours to ourselves,” Kurt confirms what Blaine is thinking, and there most definitely is a twinkle in his eye when he does. “But I don’t think that’s the only thing you’re so nervous about, is it?”

Blaine can see the expectant look in Kurt’s face. He knows Kurt wouldn’t be impressed if Blaine tried to brush off his worries, but Blaine has no intention of doing so this time. What worries him has implications for Kurt, too.

“What if I can’t get out of the classes?” he asks in a small voice. “What if there is no one to tutor me and Coach is the only one available?”

“I’ll move mountains, if I have to,” Kurt states with determination that warms Blaine. “If there is absolutely no way at all to get you into classes with someone else, we’ll consider changing schools. I mean, I could technically go to Dalton again and maybe they’d allow you to go too, because we’re soulmates.”

“What? No!” Blaine’s eyes widen. “I couldn’t… you’d have to be away from your Dad then.”

“Sweetheart, you’re both important to me,” Kurt squeezes Blaine’s hand. “We’ll figure out the easiest way, okay?”

“Okay,” Blaine says after a pause.

He’s still not convinced completely, but from Kurt’s stance and tone, he is almost entirely sure that he won’t need to suffer another one of Coach Sylvester’s _lessons_. Just as he’s starting to breathe a little bit more easily, Kurt takes a step back and lets go of Blaine’s hand. At first, Blaine frowns, but then he glances around and sees that the parking lot is starting to fill. He spots Quinn on the other side and gives her a little wave now that his hands are free. She doesn’t walk over, though, as she usually would, and Burt’s gruff voice coming from behind Blaine’s back explains why.

“Ready, boys?” the man asks in a tone that echoes the same determination that Blaine saw in Kurt earlier.

“As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess,” Blaine mutters and glances to Kurt and then Burt, sighing.

“Come on, kiddo,” Burt smiles. “Let’s get you out of this insanity they call submission classes and try and find an alternative.”

Blaine feels strangely like he’s back in middle school when they walk towards the principal’s office, and like they committed the ultimate crime: told their parents on someone else in class. He notices that they’re getting plenty of suspicious and curious looks, but he tries to tell himself that he doesn’t case. There are a few moments when he wants to duck his head and hunch his shoulders, since he’s already a step behind Kurt. Something lingering from Coach Sylvester’s words the day before echoes in his mind with “be good” tacked on to it. Instead, he makes himself walk with his head high and shoulders straight, a little more when he spots some of the guys from the football team hanging around by their lockers and staring.

“Are you okay?” Kurt mouths at Blaine when their eyes meet across the waiting room in front of the principal’s office.

“Yeah,” Blaine nods, but isn’t convinced himself.

The office has glass walls on one side and because classes didn’t start yet, a few of the students are walking around, enough to make Blaine wonder just how fast the rumor mill will work. He knows the gossip could be anything from someone guessing the truth about his bonding with Kurt to the slightly more likely chance that Blaine’s in trouble for his reputation. There’s a little part of him that wants it to be the latter, if only to protect himself _and_ Kurt from those who don’t take well to same-sex bondings. Despite the lack of choice in the matter, there is still a strong opposition against them, however illogical and unreasonable.

Blaine notices Kurt’s frown, but he doesn’t get a chance to shoot his soulmate a more reassuring look, because the office door opens and they’re called in by the secretary. Once they’re inside the office, Blaine glances to the front and breathes in relief when he sees the hallway empty. With no one to watch his every move besides those who already know his designation, he lets his shoulders relax and takes the offered seat quietly.

“So, Mr. Hummel and Mr. Hummel Junior, I was told that there is an issue with Mr. Anderson’s submission classes?” Principal Figgins asks, and his face shows complete confusion, like he’s never had a complaint regarding Coach Sylvester before.

_Then again_ , Blaine thinks bitterly, _most people probably like what she teaches submissives._

He worries his lower lip between his teeth as he listens to Kurt propose that Blaine’s classes be taught by someone else. The formal words of the Dom’s request echo through the room, and when Blaine looks up from the spot on the carpet his eyes were focused on, he sees the principal’s eyes wide in shock.

“That is certainly something we have not encountered before,” the man says and rummages in a drawer for a moment, then offers a sheet of paper to Kurt. “Of course, we must proceed according to guides, but it will be taken into consideration once you’ve filled out this form.”

Kurt snatches the form out of the principal’s hands and snaps, “Not consideration. As his Dominant, I don’t want him near those _classes_ again.”

“Kurt,” Burt says calmly and puts his hand on Kurt’s shoulder, then turns to the principal. “As the boys are both underage, I will vouch for their decision.”

Principal Figgins nods shakily, then frowns and glances between Kurt and Blaine.

“We do unfortunately not have an alternative in the school,” he says and looks to Burt. “Mr. Hummel, you know that the tutors for the classes are clearly specified. You, as a Dominant, will not be able to take on the education of Mr. Anderson.”

“I am aware of that,” Burt nods, but then squares his shoulders as he stares the principal down. “I have been given the impression, however, that McKinley is very progressive with their Dominance and submission program. Not having options for the students’ classes does not seem very progressive to me, since the one available teaches medieval tactics.”

“I would not call those methods and rules…” the principal starts but doesn’t get to finish his thought.

“Try prehistoric,” Kurt interrupts as he glances from the form he’s filling out. “Not to mention the scare tactics on submissives and no consideration for the Dominant’s wishes.”

“Mr. Hummel, these are serious accusations,” the principal says and looks to the door as it opens. “Coach Sylvester here can clear up what is surely only a misunderstanding.”

“What is?” the coach asks, walking in the door and barely sparing a glance to anyone but the principal. “I was told you needed me here?”

Blaine feels the chill down his spine when she speaks, a reminder of her tone and lecture from the day before, and he automatically curls in on himself in the chair. He feels Kurt’s hand on his knee, but doesn’t look up.

“Your bullying tactics towards my submissive,” Kurt’s voice is steady and accusing but doesn’t carry the tone of an immature tantrum.

“What would you know about bullying towards submissives?” Coach Sylvester asks. “I bet they were pampered into stubborn brats over at Dalton.”

“They’re treated with respect, like all human beings deserve,” Kurt exclaims, and Blaine feels the fingers on his knee clench, so he reaches out and puts his own hand over Kurt’s.

He hears the scoff from the coach that follows Kurt’s comment and looks up, finding her looking at them with disdain that only grows stronger when she notices their hands.

“Anderson needs a firm hand,” she says. “He needs to be put in his place, since he got used to strutting around like he’s a Dominant without having a right to.”

Blaine cringes, because he hoped his image would not come into play in the conversation. It has the potential to bring up reasons for why he should not be given allowances in the school, especially not big ones like alternatives to obligatory lessons.

“I can get him under control in less than the five lessons,” Coach Sylvester turns back to the principal. “If there are disobedience issues, I can assure you…”

“Blaine is far from disobedient,” Burt speaks up, interrupting her anger-filled rant. “I’ve seen him interact with my son and disobedience is not a problem, and I doubt it was yesterday. What _is_ the problem is the fact that the boys came to my house yesterday shaken up. And that was a direct result of _your_ attempt at a lesson in submission.”

“I follow the state-wide approved texts, as the principal knows,” the coach snaps back, pulling the book that Blaine was told to read in the lesson from a shelf in the office. “What do you want the kids to do, decide their own rules?”

“The Dominant in the relationship does that,” Burt almost growls. “Not a decades-old book that has since been banned in several states and even some schools in Ohio. And even if you do not have any respect for submissives, which is despicable, you didn’t consult Kurt at all in regards to rules for their relationship.”

Blaine glances to Burt and wants to say that they don’t _have_ many rules so far, but then Kurt turns his hand around, laces their fingers together, and that gets Blaine’s attention. Kurt shakes his head a little when their eyes meet, and Blaine wonders if Kurt is yet again close to reading his mind.

“I know we don’t have _rules_ ,” Kurt leans in to whisper in Blaine’s ear. “I saw you wanting to say something, but not now, sweetheart.”

Blaine nods in understanding and looks back to the adults who are still in a heated discussion about the submission teaching methods in McKinley. He doesn’t focus on the details, since it seems to him the topic has shifted to more general issues instead of being about them. Instead, he tries to breathe through his anxiety about the meeting and relaxes when Kurt begins tracing circles over the back of his hand.

“Mr. Anderson,” the principal addresses Blaine directly, and Blaine looks up. “Before we file the request and proceed, are you agreeable with your Dominant’s choice to seek alternatives for your submission classes.”

“Yes, I am,” Blaine responds without hesitation and nods.

“Well then, Coach Sue, it seems you won’t be losing your afternoons to the classes this week,” the principal says and is met with an eye roll.

They all turn as the coach walks out of the office without saying anything, and Blaine shudders, wondering what implications this might have on their life in school. But he doesn’t get to dwell on it too long, since the principal speaks up again, addressing the options for Blaine’s classes.

“Now, the classes are still obligatory by law,” Principal Figgins states. “As I mentioned, the school’s budget does not allow for another person to teach them, but as you’re aware, outside tutors can be assigned, if any are available.”

“So we have until the end of the week, when the bond is formally registered with the state, to have an arrangement,” Burt adds, obviously aware of the regulations.

“That is correct,” the principal nods. “Without the classes taking place already, though, I will have to request that Blaine be relieved from attendance, to avoid any unpleasant incidents. As you know, Mr. Hummel, submissive instincts, if not guided immediately…”

“Yes, I’m aware,” Burt says. “I would like Kurt to remain with Blaine, too. I hope that can be arranged.”

Both Blaine and Kurt look to him with matching frowns, though Kurt’s eases off a moment later when it looks like he has remembered something. Blaine turns to his soulmate, whose face is showing surprise and worry, but when their eyes meet, Kurt only shakes his head and mouths ‘later’ to Blaine.

“Of course, as his Dominant, he is responsible…” the principal’s voice trails off as he looks for something in his drawer again. “This is the form,” he says as he hands Burt another sheet of paper. “The boys don’t need to stay today, but please inform me immediately when you have found a tutor for Blaine.”

Burt signs the form and nods, then turns to Kurt and Blaine with a smile that shows his relief.

“Let’s head back home, boys,” he says and Kurt nods immediately, starting to stand up. “We do have things to discuss and arrange.”


	20. Alone Time

Even though the drive back to the Hummels’ house is just as quiet as the drive to school was, Blaine relaxes a lot more. He doesn’t feel panicky about having to go back to Coach Sylvester’s classes, and the worry about who will take them over feels less heavy. Kurt keeps glancing over to him with small smiles and occasionally reaches over the console at red lights to brush his fingers over Blaine’s. They stumble out of the car when they arrive, both of them looking a little dazed, which earns them a curious eyebrow raise from Burt. Blaine blushes at the obvious question in the man’s face, but before he can say anything, Kurt blurts out a defensive “nothing _happened_ , Dad!”

“No, I didn’t think that,” Burt laughs. “I did drive right behind you the whole time, after all. But you two look awfully giddy, and I wonder if it’s the classes or the possible alone time.”

“Aren’t you going to hang around the house while we’re…” Kurt scrunches his eyebrows. “Wait, are we suspended? Because that would look really bad on my college applications, especially with the transfer and…”

“Kurt, kid, breathe,” Burt glances over his shoulder at Kurt as they’re walking inside. “You’re not suspended, it’s filed as a family emergency.”

“Emergency?” Blaine says with a pitch to his voice.

“One way to get you both out of school when you’ll really _not_ want to be there, trust me on that,” Burt says calmly as Blaine’s nerves begin to kick in again. “Now, let’s talk.”

They stop in the living room and Kurt falls onto the couch immediately, patting the spot beside him when Blaine doesn’t immediately join him. It seems wrong to Blaine, though, in that moment, and he quickly realizes what it is that his body is looking for.

“Do you mind,” he starts and takes a deep breath. “Do you mind if I’m here? On the floor?”

Blaine points to the spot next to Kurt’s legs, already feeling the pull to curl up and rest his head against Kurt’s knee. There’s a moment of silence accompanied by a surprised look on Kurt’s face, but then Blaine sees the nod of approval and he’s on the floor before he can think about it, leaning against Kurt’s leg. Moments later, Kurt’s fingers are at the back of his head, tugging gently on the curls and pulling them free of the gel that Blaine carefully applied in the morning.

“Sweetheart?” Kurt says, leaning forward to get closer to Blaine. “I’m going to need you _here_ , though, can you do that? I see where you’re drifting off to, but we do need to discuss this.”

“I’ll try,” Blaine replies quietly, “sir.”

Saying the word out loud makes him realize just how easily it is coming to him now, how quickly he slips into submission with Kurt. It scares Blaine a little, but the overwhelming sense of being cared for is stronger, and he falls into that.

“Kiddo, we really do need you here,” Burt speaks up. “Kurt could make it an order, but it doesn’t work all that well, since orders usually are what helps with reaching subspace. Your mind would trip itself up.”

“I’m here, I am,” Blaine insists and blinks, shaking off the urge to dive into the fuzzy softness that’s beckoning him. “So, what do I do now?”

“ _We_ ,” Kurt corrects. “It’s not you alone, Blaine. We need to figure out what to do about your classes, _and_ you definitely do need to talk to your parents. Dad, before we start, would it be okay for Blaine to stay with us while we’re off school?”

To Blaine’s surprise, Burt simply offers a nod and then glances to Blaine with a slightly worried expression that sends waves of anxiety through Blaine’s mind. Kurt seems to notice it too, since his fingers tense where they’re touching Blaine’s neck.

“Dad, what aren’t you telling us?” Kurt asks, the worry ringing through his voice.

“Look, I am really not the person to be explaining it properly,” Burt says. “As your principal said, the content of the classes is either something that the tutor knows from experience _or_ that they’re trained to know.”

“So whoever tutors me should be a submissive?” Blaine asks quietly.

“Ideally, yes. Schools have trained tutors, of course,” Burt frowns. “They are supposed to be taught to be neutral, which clearly isn’t happening at McKinley.”

“I…” Blaine pauses to think for a second. “I could ask my Mom? I mean, she is a submissive, so she could…” he stops when he sees Burt shaking his head.

“No, kid,” the man explains. “It can’t be a parent. Relative, yes, but not your mother or father. The same way I couldn’t tutor Kurt if he needed the basic lessons.”

“I could check at Dalton, Dad,” Kurt offers. “Maybe one of the tutors there would be willing to take Blaine in for classes. Or… Jeff is a sub, but I’m not sure if he’s tutor material.”

“We would need to check if your friend has had enough training to _give_ lessons. It’s not as simple as him being submissive,” Burt sighs.

Blaine pulls his bottom lip between his teeth and tries to rack his brain for options. He knows his own friends are not bonded, and without a designation, they’re out of the running. The only other people he knows well enough are Tina and Mike. Blaine knows they have bonded the summer before and that Mike is the submissive. They both passed their lessons before school started again, but Blaine doesn’t know if they took any further classes or got trained enough to tutor.

“Would your parents maybe know someone?” Kurt asks, still running his fingers over the back of Blaine’s neck.

“Maybe,” Blaine shrugs. “I mean, we never talked about any of this much at home. And with the way our family is, whoever does tutor is likely to be like Coach Sylvester, really.”

“You do need to talk to them, though,” Burt says. “I don’t mind having you here until the classes get sorted, kid. But not without their okay.”

“Of course,” Blaine nods. “Mom sent me a text this morning that they’ll be home tonight. I’ll call then.”

“I could drive you over?” Kurt asks. “I mean, you should probably get some clothes for the next few days anyway,” he says, then leans down to be closer to Blaine’s ear. “Even though I do like seeing you in mine,” he whispers, and Blaine shivers.

“Yeah, we can,” Blaine’s voice catches a little, his mind reeling from Kurt’s words. “We could drive over.”

“Anyway, we’re not going to solve any more right now,” Burt interrupts their moment and stands up. “I do have a business to run, so I’ll leave you two. Kurt, come talk to me for a moment.”

Kurt reluctantly stands up to walk to Burt, and Blaine leans away with a sigh. He watches his soulmate talk to Burt and wonders what is making both of them frown in one moment, but doesn’t try to strain his ears to overhear. When Burt leaves with a quick wave, Kurt settles back on the couch, and Blaine immediately leans his head on Kurt’s thigh. The touch of fingers returns to Blaine’s neck and he relaxes into it. He stays quiet, not wanting to be the one breaking the surprisingly comfortable silence.

“What do you want to do now, sweetheart?” Kurt asks a little while later. “Movie? Or talking? Or…”

The unspoken question that Kurt tacks on is the one that gets Blaine’s attention. His mind spins with possibilities, but eventually settles on the memory of the kisses they exchanged in the morning. Wanting to kiss Kurt again pushes its way to the forefront and Blaine looks up, resting his chin on Kurt’s knee. But the flash of worry that he remembers seeing in Kurt’s and Burt’s face makes him push those desires away.

“Can I ask a question first?” he asks cautiously.

“Of course,” Kurt say and nods emphatically. “I mean, I’m not sure I’ll be able to answer, but I’ll try.”

“Your Dad seemed worried when you talked,” Blaine says. “Is there anything that could go wrong?”

“Not with the classes, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Kurt answers. “It’s…” he pauses and his fingers still on Blaine’s neck. “You have had no submission classes; my classes on dominance were pretty basic, even though they cover the obligatory course. Dad was giving me some pointers, settling my mind about this. It’s what I was thinking about earlier in Figgins’ office.”

“ _This_ being me falling into subspace when you just look at me with the look of a Dom?” Blaine says with a hint of amusement, though he feels the worry nagging at the back of his mind. “Or really, you only need to be in the room and I want to…” he waves at himself and the position he chose earlier.

“I know,” Kurt nods and sighs. “That’s what Dad noticed too. He said he never saw anyone react this much outside of long-term couples. But it’s not a bad thing,” Kurt says with a smile. “We’re both still learning, though, so Dad wanted to make sure I’d be okay. That _we_ would be okay.”

“It is a little overwhelming,” Blaine whispers. “I’ve never… well, you know how I was… am seen in school. There wasn’t a moment in my life when I would have wanted to belong to someone the way I want to be _yours_.”

The last word comes out stronger than everything else Blaine has said, and he feels like the knowledge that he _is_ Kurt’s is anchoring him to the ground. It’s stopping him from panicking when he reminds himself of the fog at the edges of his mind.

“Mine,” Kurt says almost reverently and his hand moves to brush against Blaine’s cheek. “You are, sweetheart, aren’t you?”

Blaine manages to notice how Kurt’s voice drops a little lower at those words, and it sends a shiver down Blaine’s spine. The fog that was hovering on the edges of his mind swoops in, and Blaine closes his eyes, then leans into the hand on his cheek. He doesn’t say anything, but there is a repeating chant of ‘ _yours_ ’ in his ears and on the tip of his tongue.

“Come up here, beautiful,” he hears Kurt say, and Blaine’s muscles move surprisingly easily considering he feels like he’s wrapped in cotton wool.

“Do you need anything right now, Blaine?” Kurt asks.

Blaine pushes away the urge to respond simply with: “You, sir.” He senses that it’s not enough of an answer to Kurt’s question and that he needs to elaborate a little more.

“Can I kiss you?” he asks as he slowly opens his eyes and moves to sit on the couch next to Kurt.

The smile on Kurt’s face makes Blaine’s lips turn up, and he feels like it’s a form of praise that he craved all his life, without knowing what it was. It’s a piece of a puzzle fitting in the right spot, and he hums when Kurt’s lips touch his gently, Blaine’s lips opening up a little almost immediately. The kiss quickly heats up and Blaine lets Kurt guide it, his own body yielding to the feeling of being wanted. It doesn’t take too long for his balance to falter, and their lips part when Blaine starts falling backwards into the cushions. Kurt follows along and leans over Blaine, his hands on either side of Blaine’s body.

“I could kiss you for hours,” Kurt whispers before he bends down to join their lips again.

Blaine hums in agreement, then the shiver from earlier returns with the touch of Kurt’s tongue on Blaine’s lips, making him part them just enough for the kiss to deepen. As it does, Blaine loses the urge to grab onto something, and despite a small hesitation, he lifts his hands and grips the fabric of Kurt’s shirt, pulling his Dom closer. When Kurt seems to slow down, Blaine almost panics that he has crossed a line or that he’s acting in a way that’s inappropriate for a submissive. But before he can start backing off, Kurt moans into the kiss and lets his body drop gently on top of Blaine’s instead of keeping them at a distance.

Time becomes irrelevant as they keep kissing and Blaine revels in the way Kurt’s weight feels on top of him, how _safe_ he feels when being held down, wrapped in the body warmth. He feels his blood pool down below his waist when Kurt’s tongue dips between his lips, and his hips arch into Kurt’s, seeking friction. The little moans that Blaine can feel as much as hear that are coming from Kurt’s throat only strengthen how turned on he feels. Blaine’s movement makes Kurt grind his hips down with a groan and then he pulls away, looking down at Blaine, his blue eyes wide and a little bit darker than before.

“God, Blaine, you’re…” Kurt starts, but then they’re both jerked back into reality by the loud sound of a ringtone.

Blaine frowns as his mind becomes clearer and he recognizes the tune, then he groans in frustration when he realizes who it is that’s calling him.


	21. Brother Dearest

“You should answer that, sweetheart,” Kurt says with a breathless voice.

Blaine keeps glaring at the phone and the familiar name that’s flashing on the screen. He spent over a week now willing his phone to ring with that particular ringtone, but now that it is, he just wants to chuck it across the room and return to kissing Kurt.

“Wait,” Kurt seems to come out of his haze. “Is that the _Free Credit Rating_ commercial tune? Why do you have that as your ringtone? Do you think that guy in the commercial is…”

Blaine cuts Kurt off immediately, sensing where the comment is headed, and his mind screams ‘ _no!_ ’ at him.

“No. It’s…” he pauses, not too keen on disclosing the information that he has, but he knows he’ll have to.

“It’s okay, Blaine,” Kurt smiles, and Blaine notices the twinkling in his eyes. “I mean, we both have eyes; it’s not like us bonding and being soulmates stops those from functioning.”

“Please don’t,” Blaine cringes and notices that the phone has stopped ringing. “That’s… I’ll have to call back, because that was my brother. He set the ringtone,” Blaine grumbles.

“Oh, does he like the commercial or was he trying to be funny with the ringtone?” Kurt asks with innocent curiosity.

“No, that is _him_ in the commercial,” Blaine mutters with a tone that shows his reluctance to admit it.

Especially with Kurt being seemingly smitten with _the guy from the commercial_ , who just so happens to be Blaine’s big brother. Blaine can’t help wondering if it’ll make Kurt regret that he didn’t bond with someone like that.

“Hey, sweetheart, where did you go?” Kurt asks.

Blaine realizes that while his mind was swirling with thoughts, he shifted a little lower on the couch and ducked his head.

“I have to call him back,” Blaine whispers instead of answering Kurt’s question. “I’ve been trying to reach him for a while, and he’s calling in the morning, which never happens, so something might be wrong,” Blaine rambles and tries to squirm out from where Kurt’s body is still holding him down.

Unlike moments earlier, though, the hold isn’t making him want more. It’s still a comfort of the weight and Kurt’s warmth reassuring him of the presence of his soulmate, but it’s not enough to ward off the insecurity that is creeping up on his mind.

“Blaine, stop,” Kurt says firmly. “Talk to me, sweetheart, what’s wrong? It doesn’t seem like only you worrying about your brother.”

“You like him,” Blaine blurts out without thinking about his words.

“Wait, do you think I like him more than I like you?” Kurt asks and Blaine sees the understanding in Kurt’s eyes when he looks up. “You’re my soulmate, Blaine, it’s not possible for me to like someone more.”

“You _have to_ like me, you have no choice,” Blaine mutters and tries to duck his head again, but Kurt’s hand comes up to his chin and keeps Blaine from hiding.

“I don’t have to like you,” Kurt says with a firm tone. “I don’t get to do _this_ with anyone else,” he leans down and kisses Blaine’s lips gently. “It’s not because I can’t, or because I’d have no choice. I don’t _want_ anyone else to be mine, sweetheart.”

Blaine is lost for words, his insecurity warring with the reassuring tones from Kurt’s mouth, the _not good enough_ that he has heard in his life staging a battle with Kurt’s implied _just the way I want_. He’s still lost in his thoughts when the ringtone breaks up the silence and makes Blaine groan in frustration.

“Answer the call, Blaine,” Kurt says and shifts off Blaine just enough to make space for Blaine to sit up. “Stay here though; we’re not finished with the conversation.”

The phone continues buzzing until Blaine moves and reaches for it on the coffee table where he left it before. He’s pressing the answer button when he feels Kurt’s arms wrapping around his waist. Blaine finds himself being pulled against Kurt’s chest and he feels the reassurance of the touch.

“Coop, hi,” Blaine mutters when the phone is by his ear and he relaxes into Kurt’s embrace.

“Squirt, how lovely to hear your voice.” Cooper’s cheerful tone doesn’t cover up the little tone of nervousness that Blaine hears behind the words.

“Don’t call me that, Coop,” Blaine grumbles. “Where have you been?”

“That’s a long story, baby bro,” Cooper sighs. “I do want to talk to you, but do you think we could talk on Skype later tonight? I would love to talk to you in person, but I really can’t wait until the next time we see each other.”

“Coop, if you got a role, you can tell me over the phone,” Blaine sighs, knowing his brother’s penchant for dramatics. “But yes, if you insist on Skype, I can figure something out later, I’m not home right now…”

“We could use my laptop,” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s ear and sends a shiver down Blaine’s back.

“What do you mean you’re not home, of course you’re not,” Cooper sounds confused. “It’s morning, you’re in school. Blaine, what’s going on?”

“Right, yeah, I’m actually not in school either,” Blaine says and sighs. “I could be on Skype in,” he turns to look at Kurt who holds up five fingers on his hand, “five minutes? Ten maybe? If you want to do this now. I have something to tell you, too.”

Thinking about telling his brother that he bonded makes Blaine feel a little more content, a little warmer and reassured even though Kurt didn’t say anything. But it’s still new, and the knowledge still sends a thrill through Blaine.

“I’ll be there,” Cooper says, still with a hint of confusion. “Do Mom and Dad know you’re not in school?”

“Coop, I’ll explain on Skype, okay?” Blaine says, feeling suddenly worried again, because he doesn’t know _how_ to explain to his parents what his last two days have been like.

Blaine presses the “end call” button on his phone and sighs, slumping into Kurt’s arms, the call having sapped all the energy out of him. Telling Cooper is something he has thought of since the moment he bonded with Kurt, but being so close now and not being able to do it in person makes Blaine wary. And there is the part where Cooper seems to have something to share, too, something that Blaine can’t even guess. Cooper isn’t known to _not_ boast about roles or about auditions, so Blaine is pretty sure that isn’t it, but he can’t figure out what Cooper’s news is.

“We should go to my room,” Kurt says and Blaine blinks in surprise. “My laptop is there,” Kurt continues with a giggle.

“Oh, right, sorry, lost in my thoughts a little bit,” Blaine rambles and stands up, immediately feeling the loss of Kurt’s body against his.

“I guessed as much,” Kurt says with a laugh. “Come on, I want to see this brother of yours.”

“Sure, of course,” Blaine mumbles.

He notices Kurt shaking his head and hears him sigh. Blaine lets himself be pulled towards Kurt’s room, his mind still spinning with information that he does and doesn’t know, everything almost too much. Neither of them speaks while Kurt opens and starts the laptop and pulls Blaine onto the bed while it boots up. Blaine doesn’t let himself think too much as he leans against Kurt again, wanting to feel the anchoring warmth and solidness of his soulmate’s body against his.

“Oh,” Kurt gasps quietly when Blaine types in his username into Skype and the contacts load, Cooper’s picture on top of the list.

“Did you think I was making it up?” Blaine asks, but chuckles at Kurt’s surprised face.

“A little, maybe,” Kurt sounds dazed. “That really is your brother. Wow.”

“I feel a sudden urge to remind you that you’re already bonded,” Blaine keeps the light tone in his voice, even though the worry still nags him. “Also, Coop is bossy as hell, he’s likely to be a Dom, so it wouldn’t work anyway.”

The request for a video call comes in, and Blaine clicks on the answer button just as Kurt, still looking a little shocked, says: “It’s not even that, I just had the jingle as my ringtone for nearly a year.”

“Hello there, squirt,” Cooper’s voice rings through the room while the video is still loading. “Who is this charming young man with the excellent taste?”

“Shut up, Coop,” Blaine rolls his eyes. “You don’t need your ego stroked and inflated any more than it already is.”

“Can’t fault me for appreciating that someone appreciates my art, squirt,” Cooper smiles brightly when the video feed fills the screen.

“Seriously, do _not_ call me that,” Blaine almost growls, then sighs and glances to Kurt. “This is Kurt, my soulmate and,” he pauses and looks back to Cooper’s face on the laptop, “my Dominant.”

Cooper doesn’t respond at first, and Blaine watches as a plethora of expressions flashes across his brother’s face. It doesn’t take longer than a few seconds, but it’s enough to get Blaine both worried and curious about Cooper’s reason to call and the explanation for being out of touch for a while.

“Congratulations, squirt,” Cooper finally says, with a frown on his face.

“Oh, could you be any less excited, Coop?” Blaine grumbles at the lack of enthusiasm in his brother’s tone. “I mean, I get that it’s not what you or anyone else expected, but…”

“No, Blaine, I’m happy for you, I really am,” Cooper rushes to make amends for his tone. “It just…” he pauses and sighs. “It changes some things for me, that’s all.”

“What does _my_ bonding possibly have with whatever news you have?” Blaine narrows his eyes. “The news that you still didn’t tell me, by the way.”

“Sorry baby bro,” Cooper manages a soft smile that widens when he continues to speak. “I booked a part. A really amazing one, a lead role.”

“Cooper, you _never_ waited to tell me you booked something,” Blaine knows he sounds exasperated, but he’s beyond caring. “You called me from the audition room the last time, remember? With the casting people right there.”

“This is really big, Blaine,” Cooper beams. “But you’re right, there is more.”

“I figured there had to be,” Blaine nods and leans forward, but keeps his hand in Kurt’s. “It would take more than a role for you to disappear for weeks.”

“Yeah, well, there were things I needed to do and then arrange everything with Tiff and Tim.” Cooper starts rambling and Blaine looks at his brother with confusion.

“With your new directors? Or did you move in with new people again?” he asks, trying to make sense of what his brother is saying.

Cooper looks down at what Blaine guesses are his hands, and it’s the first time in his life that Blaine sees his brother thrown off and flustered to this extent. Blaine doesn’t speak up though, instinctively knowing that Cooper needs a moment to gather his thoughts. Suddenly, the tension seeps from the screen through the room and Blaine is frozen in place, waiting for Cooper’s explanation.

“No,” finally, Cooper speaks and slowly lifts his gaze, “they’re not my directors or roommates.”

“Coop?” Blaine whispers, not sure if Cooper can hear the word or if he just lip-reads.

Instead of answering, Cooper lifts his hands off his lap and there, on his wrists, are near-identical black leather cuffs, snug against his skin and with metal tags embedded into them. Blaine can’t make out what the inscriptions on the tags say, but he guesses that if he could, he’d read the two names that Cooper said earlier.

“But…” Blaine gasps, realizing what Cooper is trying to tell him. He takes a steadying breath and his fingers tighten around Kurt’s hand. “You bonded,” Blaine says, as a statement instead of a question, and Cooper nods. “You bonded with _two people_ ,” Blaine mutters incredulously, staring at the cuffs on his brother’s wrists, not even bothering to keep his mouth closed.

“How is that even possible,” Kurt says quietly, the shock as strong in his voice as it is in Blaine’s.

It breaks the bubble that the brothers were in for a moment, and Cooper looks over Blaine’s shoulder to Kurt, then smiles with hesitation. But Blaine sees the twinkle in Cooper’s eyes, the happiness and contentment that he’s not used to from his brother. It settles something in him, stifles the panic that has been building for the weeks that Cooper was out of touch.

“I didn’t know it was, either,” Cooper says, slightly calmer when he sees Blaine leaning back into Kurt’s body. “I went to an audition and…”

“And instead of a role, you came out with _two Dominants_?” Blaine says when Cooper pauses. “And you’re a sub,” the additional words are said quietly and followed by a tighter grip of Kurt’s arms around Blaine’s waist. “God, I was so worried what you’d think, that you’d be like the others,” Blaine looks away from the screen and blinks, his eyes burning as he tries to push away the tears that are threatening to fall.

He doesn’t know if he feels like crying from relief or stress or anger that Cooper didn’t talk to him sooner, but his body starts shivering as the full impact of Cooper’s news settles in. Cooper is like him, his brother won’t judge or dismiss him for being submissive despite all the expectations that Blaine put on himself without really meaning to. The expectations that he still thinks that his parents have.

“Do Mom and Dad know?” he whispers when he finally looks up to Cooper again.

“Yeah,” Cooper nods and for a second, Blaine thinks his brother looks like he wants to reach through the screen to comfort Blaine. “It’s why they haven’t been home last night,” Cooper looks sheepish at the words. “They came to pick me up in Columbus, to meet Tiff and Tim. We’ll be home in a few days, they want they need some time to get used to all this.”

“They as in Mom and Dad, or…” Blaine starts asking, but instead of finishing the question, he looks pointedly at the screen.

“All of them, really,” Cooper says, then adds, “including me.”

“And you didn’t think to let _me_ know?” There’s a pitch in Blaine’s voice as his anger makes an appearance again. “Cooper, I was trying to reach you for _weeks_.”

“Blaine, breathe,” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s ear quietly.

Almost immediately, Blaine’s pulse slows down and he lets out a heavy breath, then his hand seeks out Kurt’s and their fingers link. Feeling steadier now that he doesn’t feel alone, he levels Cooper with a look that he’s pretty sure isn’t too pleasant.

“You’ve got explaining to do, brother dearest,” Blaine says, then waits for Cooper’s response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For once, a note. There's a sort of hidden shout out in this part to another one of my favorite TV shows - it'll come up again ;) (let me know if you caught it ;))


	22. Double Trouble

Cooper sighs and looks away from the camera, but Blaine notices the way his hands are on the desk and his thumbs are rubbing the leather of his cuffs. There’s no denying that Cooper is looking for reassurance from his Dominants, even though they’re not there. Blaine wonders if he’s ever seen his brother quite so subdued and then immediately thinks it’s maybe how all submissives become once they’re in a bond.

“I know,” Cooper says, and Blaine is brought back to the conversation, his worries and theories still at the back of his mind. “Look, I’m really sorry I didn’t call immediately. It was just…”

“A lot?” Blaine offers when Cooper goes quiet, obviously looking for a way to explain.

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Cooper grins. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, right now I’m absolutely delighted, and Tim and Tiff are both the best Doms I could imagine having. But in the first moment? Having both of them say the one thing and feeling like I couldn’t do anything else but _obey_? You know that’s not me, B.”

Blaine nods. He knows the strangest thing isn’t Cooper having an unusual bond, it’s that he isn’t the Dominant. Cooper’s motto has always been “go big, or go home”, and Blaine can’t help but chuckle at how accurate it is in this situation. He vaguely recalls hearing about a new TV show being cast about an art thief with a penchant for fedoras and starts putting things together. Then he decides the details of Cooper’s Dominants being Hollywood big shot actors can wait.

“Yeah, I know, Coop,” Blaine nods. “I wish you’d told me.”

“Me too,” Cooper nods. “Don’t tell me that you didn’t hesitate about telling me, though? When _you_ bonded?”

“Don’t turn this against me, Cooper,” Blaine says, feeling his anger flaring up for a second.

Immediately after the words are out and Blaine tenses, he feels Kurt’s hands running over his arms soothingly. He leans back, closer to Kurt’s body, then looks at Cooper, trying to not let his anger show.

“You have no idea how the last two days were for me, Coop,” Blaine says. “And you had Mom and Dad’s attention, so I didn’t even tell them yet.”

“They don’t know?” Cooper’s eyes widen. “Shit, baby bro, I’m sorry. Of course they don’t know; when would you have told them if they were with me this whole time.”

As Cooper rambles his apologies, Blaine feels the calming effect of Kurt’s presence and his touches. He sees that his brother genuinely regrets having taken their parents’ attention, and it makes Blaine realize that it wasn’t Cooper’s fault.

“Coop, it’s fine,” Blaine says quietly and waits until Cooper looks up. “I had Kurt and his Dad, but I am going to need to talk to Mom and Dad soon. There’s an issue that they might be able to help with. When do you think you’re going to be home?”

“Two days, tops,” Cooper says firmly. “I could try and get them over tomorrow, but I can’t sooner. Do you think I could help somehow?”

Blaine hesitates and then glances to Kurt, debating whether to explain to Cooper this way what happened in school and in the classes. Then it hits him that Burt only mentioned that _parents_ couldn’t teach him, but another relative might. He looks back to the screen and narrows his eyes at Cooper, trying to guess if it’s worth asking him.

“Squirt, you’re scaring me, what is it?” Cooper looks genuinely concerned, leaning forward as if he could jump through the screen.

“You should tell him,” Kurt says quietly into Blaine’s ear. “At least he’ll understand, and maybe he’ll know someone better than those people your parents would recommend.”

“Can you stay here while I tell him?” Blaine looks back to Kurt and shivers.

“Of course, sweetheart, I’m not going anywhere,” Kurt smiles and presses a quick kiss onto Blaine’s forehead.

“Thank you,” Blaine mutters and sighs, then turns back to the screen again.

Cooper is looking at him with the worry still obvious in his face, and for a second Blaine feels bad about alarming his brother so much, when nothing that bad really happened. Then the memory of the class with Coach Sylvester makes its way to his mind and all regret is pushed aside. Blaine debates how to start with the whole story, then sighs and dives right in.

“We bonded the day before yesterday,” he says, glancing to Kurt with a smile. “I wanted to tell Mom and Dad, once Kurt and I were done talking, but they didn’t come home until late that night, so…” Blaine waves a hand in a ‘what can you do’ motion.

“You were _alone_ the first night?” Cooper’s jaw drops. “How did you even get through that? How did Kurt let you…”

“Don’t even go there, Coop,” Blaine growls in defence of his Dom. “Mom and Dad were supposed to be home. I wasn’t _planning_ on being alone. I didn’t know I shouldn’t have been, anyway.”

“No, ideally, we’d have spent the night together, but I didn’t know until Dad told me,” Kurt nods next to Blaine, then pulls Blaine into a tighter embrace. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. You did say your parents would be home, and I didn’t want to interrupt that. I did almost drive over, but Dad said that if you had your Mom and Dad there, it would be okay.”

“It was,” Blaine nods to Kurt, not angry or disappointed.

“Still, you should have called,” Cooper starts again and Blaine levels him with a glare.

“I tried, Coop,” Blaine says angrily. “Remember how I called you every day for the last week?”

“Shit, B…”

“Save it, Cooper, it doesn’t matter. You had your reasons, it’s fine,” Blaine says in a tone that clearly gives away that he’s _not_ fine, but he keeps talking, because he doesn’t know if he’ll get the words all out otherwise. “Anyway, I got a submission class yesterday and it… didn’t go well.”

“Try the class being a disaster,” Kurt growls and tenses around Blaine.

“What happened?” Cooper asks with a dash of anger in his voice.

Blaine almost curls up in Kurt’s arms and asks him to explain everything to Cooper, but settles for linking their fingers and holding on as he starts to speak.

“The short version of it is that the tutor for submission classes is on the same wavelength as Dad’s family,” he says, knowing that Cooper will understand the reference.

Both brothers cringe and frown at the memory of their uncles treating their wives with less respect than they would have for a random waiter in a restaurant. Blaine tries to push away the images of submissives on their knees, orders barked out with regularity, and both Cooper and Blaine being told that they better ‘man up’ and bring home a nice, obedient girl. There’s an expression in Cooper’s face that tells Blaine that their memories are matching. When he feels a reassuring squeeze of Kurt’s hand around his, Blaine looks to his brother, then speaks again.

“She ordered me to kneel, told me it would be expected from me…”

His voice fading out, Blaine breathes slowly to calm himself, the anxiety from his class still lingering. He glances to Kurt and forces a smile, then leans in to the kiss that Kurt pulls him into.

“Blainey, I’m sorry,” Cooper said weakly, remorse clear in his face. “I didn’t…”

“You didn’t know, Coop,” Blaine interrupts. “I’m lucky that I have Kurt, though.” He smiles a little lighter than before. “They pulled me out of the class and negotiated that I don’t have to go back,” Blaine says, as an explanation to Cooper and a reminder to himself.

“Where are you going to take them?” Cooper asks.

“That’s our problem,” Kurt jumps in, holding Blaine and rubbing his arm soothingly with the hand that’s not gripping Blaine’s. “My Dad is a Dom and untrained for tutoring, and the school doesn’t have anyone. I was thinking of asking at Dalton…”

“You know Dalton?” Cooper’s eyes widen at Kurt’s words.

“Yeah, I just transferred from there the day I met Blaine,” Kurt grins. “Stroke of luck, really.”

“It’s tricky at Dalton,” Cooper says. “Most submissives leave when they’ve bonded, because most bond _outside_ the school. The training is…”

“Better than at McKinley,” Kurt interrupts. “So even if we can get the regular teacher for the main classes to tutor Blaine, it will be an improvement.”

“They won’t, though,” Cooper shakes his head. “I’ve tried when I started my classes, but then Tiff arranged for someone else in LA to begin with, and I just finished the advanced ones here in Columbus.”

“You did advanced classes?” Blaine asks with curiosity.

“Yeah, they’re a step down from tutoring, really,” Cooper says, his mind obviously still on the question of Blaine’s classes, though. “I mean, with two Dominants, we decided that it was useful. They got some extra classes, too.”

“Do you have any idea how long the tutoring training would take?” Kurt asks, looking at Blaine with wide eyes that show that their minds are on the same track.

“Funny you should ask,” Cooper pauses, then explains. “The tutor I had did mention that I’d only need one test and a certificate and I could tutor. Apparently, I’m a model student,” Cooper preens and Blaine can’t hold back the amused chuckle.

“Of course you are, Coop,” he says and looks at Kurt, hoping the question in his eyes will be clear to his Dom.

Kurt nods and smiles, then looks to the laptop screen at Cooper, who still didn’t catch on to what their questions are leading to.

“Coop? Would you consider getting that certificate and tutoring me?” Blaine asks quietly, with hesitation, unsure how his brother will reply.

Cooper stares at them through the camera and Blaine watches as his face slowly rearranges from the brief shock at hearing Blaine’s question to a wide smile.

“Of course, B,” Cooper says finally, and a weight lifts from Blaine’s shoulders. He barely registers that Cooper keeps talking after that. “Why didn’t I think of that? I mean, it’s perfect, because I’ll be home for a few days before we go back to filming; I could easily fit the obligatory lessons into those. You’d get to know Tiffany and Tim before we go to New York to the set. Mom and Dad will be okay with that too; you know Mom would never subject you to the Anderson methods.”

“How did they take your news?” Blaine blurts out into Cooper’s babbling.

“Which part?” Cooper asks with amusement. “The fact that somehow, one Dominant wasn’t enough for me so I ended up with two? At least Mom knew the double bond isn’t a myth, just very unusual. Or the part where I _have_ a Dominant instead of being one? Then there’s the detail that Mom used to watch the show Tiff used to be on, so seeing her walk in the door was a shock all in itself.”

“A-all of it?” Blaine stutters.

He mostly wants to know about the part where Cooper, his strong-willed and bossy brother, is a submissive. But Blaine doesn’t have the courage to ask about that specifically, despite the obvious signs that Cooper, of all people, will not judge Blaine. It still feels like it’s a trick, like maybe it’s Cooper’s research for a new role.

“Squirt, they’re not going to hate you for being a sub,” Cooper says, and Blaine sighs when he realizes his brother can see straight through his insecurities. “You know Dad got rid of his family’s prejudices when he met Mom and realized that a sub isn’t necessarily _less_ of a human being or a person than Dominants are. Can you imagine him trying to treat Mom that way?”

“Ha,” Blaine breathes out, scoffing at the thought of their mother losing her personality or strength because of her designation.

“Exactly,” Cooper nods. “There’s no way they’ll judge either of us. Look, at least _you_ only need one Dominant, Dad already laughed at how I need two of them to keep me in check.”

“Yeah, well, you do tend to be a little larger than life,” Blaine smirks and slowly begins relaxing.

“Comes with the job, baby bro,” Cooper says and matches Blaine’s smirk. “Now, I will need to get the certificate, so we won’t be home tomorrow, B. I’ll have Mom and Dad call you later tonight, but,” Cooper frowns and glances over Blaine’s shoulder to Kurt, “you really shouldn’t be home alone right now. I promise I’m not trying to scare you. It’s just, without classes and without learning how to be aware of your instincts and controlling them, it’s not safe for you to not have anyone around.”

“My Dad has already agreed that Blaine can stay here,” Kurt jumps in. “I’ll make sure Blaine is okay.”

“Can you handle it?” Cooper asks. “I know you’re both new to this, and with only the basic classes from Dalton…”

Kurt nods solemnly at Cooper and tightens his hold around Blaine.

“We’re not completely alone, so should anything get messy, I’m sure Dad can coach me through fixing it,” Kurt says, starting to rub his palm along Blaine’s arm again. “I would not put Blaine at risk, Cooper.”

“Okay, okay,” Cooper smiles and holds his hands up in a defensive gesture. “I know when to acknowledge a Dom’s determination.”

“Do you, Cooper?” Blaine laughs. “Do you really?”

“Yeah, well, I have two to show me just _how_ decisive they both can be,” Cooper says and winks.

The shiver that was running down Blaine’s spine because of Kurt’s touch turns into an unpleasant shudder.

“TMI, Coop,” he sighs. “If this is a hint of how you’re going to tutor me, I might need to rethink the idea.”

“Fine, I’ll keep the naughty details to myself,” Cooper concedes. “You do know that those parts are sort of inevitable, though?”

Blaine’s face suddenly feels like it’s on fire. He _has_ thought about the more intimate parts of the soulmate bond and how the Dominant and submissive designations will play into it. But discussing that with his brother, when Kurt is right behind him and leans closer to Blaine almost imperceptibly, is not something Blaine is eager to do. Instead, he takes a steadying breath and levels a glare at Cooper.

“I know, Cooper,” Blaine says. “Please get Mom and Dad to call? I want to make sure they’re okay with me staying here. I’ll talk to you soon,” he ends and closes out of the call before Cooper gets a chance to protest or comment on anything else.

“That went well,” Kurt deadpans into the silence.

“Better than I thought,” Blaine says with a shrug of his shoulders.

He turns around in Kurt’s arms and smiles.

“Thank you,” he says to Kurt.

“Anytime, sweetheart,” Kurt brushes a thumb over Blaine’s cheek. “Now, where were we before Cooper so very rudely interrupted us?”


	23. Letting Go

There’s a pause after Kurt’s question where Blaine tries to rack his brain for what they were doing when the phone started ringing. He doesn’t _really_ need reminding, but his mind drifts to the feeling of having Kurt’s lips on his, Kurt’s weight covering his body. The way Kurt’s thumb caresses his cheek now is definitely helping Blaine fall into the sensation, the memory of it, again easily, and he quickly realizes that his breathing is probably way too loud in the silence of the room.

“Sweetheart?” Kurt asks gently and stops moving his hand over Blaine’s jaw. “Do we need to talk first?”

Blaine shakes his head fiercely, but still doesn’t have words to say out loud.

“Would you like me to…” Kurt pauses and Blaine sees and feels the sweeping look of Kurt’s eyes over the way they’re sitting now. “Do you want to move so we’re like we were before?”

There’s no hesitation from Blaine before he nods and immediately starts shifting so his back is against the side of the couch. When he moves, the contact between them is broken, but Blaine doesn’t mind because he hopes it won’t be too long before Kurt’s hands are on him again. He tries to stay alert, but the moment Kurt’s body is leaning over him, Blaine’s mind fogs over and he feels like falling, his eyes closing.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers and brushes his lips over Blaine’s cheeks. “Better now?”

Again, Blaine only nods and leans slightly towards Kurt, chasing the touch. He hears a soft chuckle and then Kurt presses another kiss on the corner of Blaine’s mouth, then a playful one on his nose, and Blaine lets out a quiet whimper at not getting what his body is craving.

“Please,” he whispers and his eyes open to meet Kurt’s.

“You’ll have to ask, sweetheart,” Kurt says with a grin. “That’s how this works. We both determine the pace, you by telling me what it is you want me to do, and me deciding whether to do it or not.”

Blaine groans a little in frustration. It’s not that he’s not used to asking for things that he wants, but he’s hesitant now. His habit of not telling people to do things that he acquired when he was trying to avoid accidental bonding is one thing that stops him. The ingrained rules that tell him that a submissive has no right to dictate or request anything are swirling in his mind, too. He pushes himself to listen to Kurt, to follow what his Dom is saying, to make himself believe that it’s okay to _ask_ for things.

“Please, sir,” he whispers, “kiss me.”

“But I did,” Kurt responds in an amused, teasing tone.

Blaine’s eyes close again, and he feels Kurt’s lips brush against his cheek, his nose again, and then the softest touch just below Blaine’s ear that sends a pleasant shiver down his spine. Blaine clenches his hands and arches slightly off the couch. The movement makes the distance between his body and Kurt’s disappear, and Blaine becomes all too aware of his cock stirring to attention even though they’ve barely touched. He hears Kurt’s quiet moan, then feels Kurt’s hips grind down, letting Blaine know that they’re both affected by whatever they’re doing.

“Can I…?” Blaine says, a little emboldened by the knowledge that he has an effect on Kurt. “Can I kiss you, please?”

He opens his eyes to see Kurt’s reaction and gasps when he notices how Kurt’s eyes are widened and seem darker than before. Blaine runs his tongue over his bottom lip, his mouth suddenly dry. His fists are still clenched by his sides as he waits for a reply.

“On one condition,” Kurt raises an eyebrow. “You’ll stop resisting the need to touch me. There will be times when I will not want you to, when I’ll tell you to be still, but I _will_ let you know. Any other times, don’t hold back unless you’re told to stop.”

Blaine nods and hesitantly lifts his hands up, wrapping his hands around Kurt’s sides gently. His eyes drop down to Kurt’s lips before he speaks again.

“Can I kiss you now, sir?”

“I thought you’d never ask,” Kurt says, and chuckles, but doesn’t make a move to bring his lips to Blaine’s.

Raising an eyebrow in question, Blaine smiles and lifts his head up a little, gripping Kurt’s hips tighter before he tentatively touches Kurt’s lips with his own. A small moan forms in his throat, and when it makes its way past Blaine’s lips, Kurt finally, _finally_ leans into the kiss and returns it with the hunger that Blaine feels too.

Blaine wonders, somewhere in the haze that overwhelms most of his mind, whether he should be gentle or whether his fingers are holding on too tight to Kurt, but the thought is weak. He’s lost to the sensation of Kurt’s lips on his, the gentle pressure of Kurt’s tongue on the bottom lip that makes Blaine part his lips in invitation. Kurt’s weight is pressing him into the couch, and Blaine wants to tug him lower, wants to feel every inch of Kurt’s body against his own. He shivers all over when his mind summons up a thought that he isn’t quite ready for in that moment, a thought that involves lack of clothes and a more intimate contact.

He knows Kurt is still holding himself off of Blaine’s body for the most part. Blaine can feel the strain in the muscles that his hands are pressed against and knows it’s no different in the rest of his body. As they continue kissing, Blaine becomes more and more overwhelmed with the need to ask Kurt to stop slowing down, to stop holding back. He wants to feel like he’s Kurt’s, without hesitation, wants to feel their bond beyond the warmth that spreads through his veins at every contact between them.

It’s when his mind supplies the words _claimed_ and _owned_ that Blaine’s eyes fly open, and he moans into the kiss, then lets out a quiet whimper because Kurt pulls away.

“Hey, sweetheart, is everything okay?” Kurt asks, concern clearly written all over his face.

Blaine hums in response, closing his eyes again, and without thinking lifts his head off the couch cushion to chase after the taste of Kurt’s lips. He’s met with only air, so he opens his eyes again and frowns when he sees the expression in Kurt’s face, a mix that he can’t quite decipher.

“I’m okay,” he whispers, hoping that it’ll put Kurt’s mind at ease.

“You were really far away right now, weren’t you?” Kurt asks, not looking convinced by Blaine’s words.

“I don’t…” Blaine hesitates, wondering for a moment what Kurt means with the question.

Then he recalls the feeling of warmth and fuzziness that took over his mind. _Subspace_ , he thinks, _is that how it feels?_ His eyes seeking out Kurt’s, Blaine tries to bring up the sensation again, so he can compare it to how he felt the first time they kissed, or other times when Kurt mentioned subspace. It doesn’t feel the same, but he’s not sure if that means that he was _not_ falling that deep.

“I think this is what Cooper was trying to warn us both about,” Kurt says slowly, but the concern isn’t as overwhelming in his features. “You didn’t get to learn how to be aware of getting there, how to control it outside a scene where you’re expected to let go.”

“So, I fall into subspace without either of us trying?” Blaine starts putting the pieces together. “Even if we’re just kissing.”

“ _Just_ kissing, yes,” Kurt smirks. “That was some kiss, though.”

“It felt like,” Blaine takes a deep breath, and tries to put his feelings into words. “It didn’t feel _bad_. It didn’t feel like too much, not to me,” his eyes meet Kurt’s. “I wanted to… I want to…”

“Hey, no pressure, you don’t have to…” Kurt says when Blaine pauses and rummages through his brain for the right words.

“No, I want to,” Blaine shakes his head. “I want you to know, so you can… so you understand.”

“Okay,” Kurt nods. “It’s a little frightening when you fall like that,” he explains to Blaine. “It’s not that you get lost, but being the one in control, knowing that you’ll do…”

“Anything, Kurt,” Blaine says. “When I’m there, you can ask _anything_. I want to… I just want to be _yours_.”

The last few words are barely a whisper, and Blaine feels the urge to let himself go again, to fall into the safe place where he knows Kurt is protecting him, where his Dominant is in charge, where his soulmate knows exactly what Blaine wants and needs. He hears Kurt’s whispered words through the haze that falls over him again.

“When you’re like this, it’s almost impossible to not just take,” Kurt’s voice reaches Blaine through the fog. “The way you react to me, to everything, I just want to kiss you more, make you _mine_.”

“Please,” spills from Blaine’s lips as he grips on Kurt’s hips and tugs him closer. “Please. I trust you.”

He hears a groan that could be his own or Kurt’s, but Blaine really doesn’t care, because he feels Kurt letting go. The weight of his soulmate’s body is pressing Blaine down, their hips aligned, Kurt’s forearms framing Blaine’s face as they kiss, fingers tugging on the now disheveled curls. Blaine can’t stop trying to pull Kurt closer, even though it seems impossible, but somehow even the thin barrier of their clothes seems to much. He grinds his hips up and sparks fly across his body when he feels his cock rub against Kurt, when he feels Kurt’s hardness against his own.

“Oh god, Blaine,” Kurt gasps when he pulls his lips away from Blaine’s. “You can’t just… you’re so perfect like this, sweetheart. So good.”

Blaine lets the praise wash over him and his head falls back, eyes closing when he feels Kurt’s lips on his jaw and his neck. His hips jerk up again, into Kurt’s body, when Kurt nibbles gently on Blaine’s ear, the warm breath sending extra sparks through Blaine, making him feel like he’s on fire. He whimpers a little at the touch and arches off the couch as far as he can, his fingers digging hard into Kurt’s waist.

“What do you need, sweetheart?” Kurt asks and opens a floodgate of thoughts in Blaine’s mind.

What he wants is to _feel_ Kurt. He wants to be kissed until he doesn’t know any taste other than his soulmate’s lips, wants to be touched everywhere all at the same time. Blaine moans as desires that he didn’t know he could have rush through his mind, the images and desire to have Kurt’s body against his, no barriers and no hesitation between them. He wants to be taken, be shown who his Dominant is, wants to let go and fall, let Kurt lead him. Blaine wants Kurt to keep touching, keep kissing, he wants to chase after the release that feels within reach.

But there is still a little bit of hesitation, a seed of worry whether Kurt would think it too much, if Kurt would be comfortable with Blaine saying all of that out loud. He wants to feel Kurt, but only if Kurt wants it too, and Blaine still has a tiny moment of doubt. So, he settles for a stray thought that makes him think of the afternoon at his own house. His fingers unclench from around Kurt’s hips and he brings them up, resting his wrists next to where Kurt’s hands are.

“Hold me, please,” he whispers and hopes it’s enough to convey what he wants Kurt to do.

Moments later, Blaine feels Kurt’s hands shift and fingers wrap around his wrists, pressing them into the cushion underneath him. He lifts his head and opens his eyes just enough to catch the unspoken question in Kurt’s eyes and nods in response to it. Then Blaine’s eyes close again and his lips part in invitation. What he gets in response isn’t what he’s expecting, but it sends even more shivers down his spine.

“Is this what you want, sweetheart?” Kurt whispers, and Blaine feels his breath on his cheek, then by his ear. “Do you want to let go, let me control this? Do you want me to claim you as mine?”

Blaine nods, his breath coming in short gasps while Kurt’s lips brush over his skin.

“What are our safewords, Blaine?” Kurt asks, pausing his movements for a moment.

“D-dalton,” Blaine stutters, then takes a breath, but keeps his eyes closed as he adds, “Slushee,” his voice slightly higher than it usually is.

“Okay,” Kurt says into Blaine’s ear. “I need you to use one if anything gets too much. Even if you just need a moment, _anything_.”

“Yeah,” Blaine whimpers when he feels Kurt’s hips press down. “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” Kurt’s voice sounds a little distant to Blaine, though he can feel the warmth of Kurt’s breath right on his cheek. “Now, is this what you want?” Kurt asks as he moves his hips, his cock rubbing against Blaine’s slowly.

Not trusting his voice, Blaine nods, and a weak moan escapes his throat at the contact. He feels the sparks of arousal concentrating where Kurt’s rolling his hips against Blaine. Within moments, Blaine feels like he’s teetering on the edge, the pleasure stronger than when he used his own hand in the past. It’s so much _more_ , intense beyond anything his imagination could come up with, to have another person touch him. When Kurt adds gentle kisses along Blaine’s jaw, barely any time passes before Blaine’s gasping at every thrust, every kiss, his own hips jerking up towards Kurt. He gasps when Kurt’s tongue flicks against the spot just under his ear.

“Slushee,” he whispers, catching his breath, feeling like he’s hanging off the edge of an abyss.

Immediately, Kurt’s movements stop, and Blaine opens his eyes seconds later to find Kurt looking down at him with a worried expression in his face. Before his Dom can ask anything, though, Blaine shakes his head.

“I’m okay,” he says, his voice stronger than he expects it to be. “I just… I was close and I didn’t want to…” he pauses and takes a deep breath. “With you, please? I want both of us…”

Kurt’s eyes widen, and then he nods.

“Okay,” he says, but doesn’t start moving yet. “I can…” Kurt gasps when Blaine’s hips move up.

The small contact is enough to reignite the spark in Blaine’s body and, from what he can see, Kurt is right there with him. Neither of them speaks then, Blaine partly because his mind goes almost blank save for registering the pleasure coursing through his body. The other part is that after a while, Kurt’s lips are on his own, kissing Blaine with a hunger that Blaine eagerly returns. He feels safe, Kurt’s weight pressing him down _just_ right, the contact overwhelming even through the layers of fabric. He’s lost as he feels the sparks getting more intense, and he can’t figure out anymore whose gasps and moans are sounding through the space around them.

Blaine can hear the hitch in Kurt’s breathing and feels his Dom’s hips stutter against Blaine’s own. That’s the point where he can’t hold back any longer, and the world around him explodes as he comes, his whole body shivering with the feeling.


	24. Guard Down

There’s a moment, when the buzz starts wearing off, that makes Blaine think he’s dreaming. A few seconds of _this isn’t real, it’s too good, I’m imagining things_ that end with a jolt back to reality, and his eyes open to meet Kurt’s smiling face.

“Hey there, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers and leans down to brush his lips tenderly over Blaine’s. “Welcome back.”

“Hi,” Blaine says and clears his throat.

He doesn’t quite understand why there’s a scratch in his voice; he still feels like he can’t completely catch his breath and Kurt is still _there_ , his full weight on top of Blaine. Slowly, Blaine becomes aware of his wrists not being held down anymore and he wriggles them then shifts the rest of his body under Kurt’s. When he feels Kurt pulling away in reaction, Blaine feels a hint of panic creeping into his mind.

“No,” he whispers. “No, please, stay.”

The contact between their bodies anchors him, keeps him from floating away because _that just happened_ , and he recalls the moments before, the mindblowing feeling of _Kurt_. Blaine tries to get his mind to put it in words, to explain to himself how it felt to be so close, to have Kurt touching him in ways he hadn’t dreamed of. But the words don’t come; the only thing in his mind is a chant of _Kurt, Kurt, Kurt_.

“Are you okay?” Kurt asks quietly, then cups Blaine’s jaw and swipes his thumb over Blaine’s cheek.

“Yeah,” Blaine breathes out. “Yeah, I just… you’re here.”

It feels a little silly when he says it out loud, because he thinks _where else would Kurt be? Or who else could possibly be there?_ But the words are out and Blaine blushes and bites his lip, hoping he’s not embarrassing himself too much. Then again, he still feels the orgasm buzz and starts wondering if he can blame his lack of rational thinking on that.

“I am,” Kurt smiles. “That was…” He pauses and takes a deep breath.

Blaine watches as emotions cross Kurt’s face and wonders how it’s possible that they mirror his own so well. The connection between them, as much as he doesn’t want to attribute it to the intimate moment they just shared, seems stronger, like it’s something their bond requires. Consciously, he knows there is no requirement on _sex_ to confirm their bond. He saw the movies that insinuate that it’s necessary; he read the books where it’s a plot point that soulmates _have to_ cross that line to bond fully. Before this moment, he considered it a myth, and the basic lessons he did have all mentioned that there is nothing but the initial order for bonding to be official.

“...breathtaking,” Kurt says and tears Blaine out of his thoughts.

There are no words in Blaine’s mind, though he tries to find some, but Kurt is looking down at him with a reverence Blaine has never seen before. Kurt’s thumb is still stroking his cheek, and there’s a smile that’s tugging on the corner of Kurt’s lips that Blaine can’t help but mirror.

“We probably should…” Kurt says another few beats later and shifts, reminding Blaine of the increasingly unpleasant sticky feeling.

“Oh god, I…” Blaine stutters and his eyes widen in panic. “I didn’t think… your clothes… I’m sorry…”

Kurt moves his hand and puts his fingers over Blaine’s lips, then replaces it with his lips for a moment.

“It’s okay,” Kurt keeps smiling. “It’s not like that was a priority earlier. They’re just clothes, anyway.”

Blaine notices the way Kurt winces when he says the last comment, and he quirks an eyebrow, slightly amused at Kurt’s unsuccessful attempt to brush the issue of their stained clothes off.

“Okay, okay,” Kurt chuckles. “There is no such thing as _just clothes_. Which means we really should change so I can wash these,” he moves his hand lower and stops to tug at the waistband of the jeans Blaine is wearing.

Kurt’s fingers barely touch him, but even with the minimal contact, Blaine shivers and bites down on his lip, his body still thrumming with the aftershocks from earlier. He doesn’t feel as much like his skin is on fire, but he’s not really cooled down yet, despite the panic moment.

“Y-yeah,” he says and clears his throat. “Not that I’d try to be a smartass, though, but you _are_ preventing me from moving,” Blaine adds with a small giggle, his wit slowly returning.

Kurt’s cheeks turn red, and he mutters an apology then begins moving to let Blaine get up. They shuffle around, and Blaine cringes when he feels the stickiness in his underwear that’s now most definitely uncomfortable. When he glances to Kurt, he sees the same expression and feels the urge to apologize. But then, the corners of Kurt’s mouth turn up into a smile, and suddenly Blaine’s face is being pulled closer and Kurt’s lips crash against his own.

Almost immediately, Blaine’s mind fogs over and he loses himself in the kiss. There’s nothing but the taste of Kurt’s lips and his tongue slipping past Blaine’s lips, and Blaine completely forgets they were supposed to move and find clean things to wear. When Kurt pulls away, the smile returning to his face, Blaine can’t help but gape, his mouth still slightly open. His heart is beating stronger and faster than before, and his chest heaves as he’s trying to catch his breath.

“I meant it, before,” Kurt says, his voice low and quiet. “When I said I could kiss you for hours.”

Blaine frowns and tries to remember when Kurt said that, then flashes back to before Cooper called. A memory from what now seems long ago, though it’s really not been that long, crosses his mind.

“You started saying something then,” he whispers and glances at Kurt, then ducks his head.

“Oh,” Kurt blushes. “Yeah I… I was just going to say you’re amazing and… _Ithinkyou’rereallyhot_.”

Kurt’s voice turns into a mumble at the end, and Blaine frowns to himself, trying to decipher what Kurt said. He looks up and feels his cheeks warm at Kurt’s compliment.

“What? I didn’t… what was the other thing?” Blaine asks, curious more than he’s embarrassed.

“Ithinkyou’rehot,” Kurt blurts out a little clearer, and Blaine’s cheeks feel like they’re on fire. “As was rather obvious earlier.”

“I… oh…” Blaine stumbles over his words, his eyes wide. “No one’s ever thought that about me,” he adds in a whisper.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Kurt smiles, Blaine’s flustered tone and expression seemingly making Kurt feel more confident. “I’m pretty sure people did,” he adds with a smile and reaches to link their fingers together. “I can’t say I’m not glad that no one told you,” Kurt blushes a little.

“I wouldn’t want to hear it from anyone else,” Blaine looks up again and meets Kurt’s eyes. “Only you.”

“Charmer,” Kurt smiles. “Now, we really should move and change,” he says and shifts on the couch, his expression turning into one of obvious discomfort.

“I don’t have anything to change into,” Blaine says quietly. “I mean, we were supposed to go get some of my clothes…”

“And I told you I kind of like you in mine,” Kurt grins. “Okay, you can use the same bathroom as before, I’ll bring you something to change into,” he adds and gets up, pulling Blaine along.

“Thank you,” Blaine smiles, and feeling suddenly bold, stretches and kisses Kurt’s cheek, then ducks his head and blushes again.

He feels Kurt’s hand slipping out of his own and a quiet whisper telling him to go clean up, but then everything is a blur until he hears a knock on the door. Blaine wonders how he got to the bathroom and out of his clothes, but his mind refuses to cooperate.

“Hey, Blaine,” Kurt calls out from behind the door. “I got you a change of clothes, could you hand me the others so I can get them washed?”

Blaine opens the door a fraction and peeks through the gap, his cheeks burning up. He’s all too aware of only wearing a towel wrapped around his waist and while he knows there’s a door shielding him, it’s still the least dressed he has been so far in Kurt’s presence. He’s almost too distracted to notice that Kurt’s in a robe and sweatpants only, but when he does, it scrambles his mind even more.

“Here,” he says and hands Kurt the bundle of clothes, then quickly grabs the fresh ones and mutters his thanks.

To Blaine’s relief, Kurt doesn’t linger, so Blaine can slip back into the bathroom and sag against the door. His mind can’t seem to let go of the image of the parts of Kurt’s skin that Blaine caught a glimpse of. Then it veers into imagining Kurt getting undressed, and Blaine groans quietly. With a splash of cold water onto his face, he manages to compose himself somewhat a few moments later, but his cheeks seem stuck on the red tint that appeared earlier.

_Stop, Blaine._ He frowns at himself in the mirror. _There’s time for that. You’ll be good and change into Kurt’s clothes, without wondering how they fit both of you, and you’ll go out and act completely normal_.

He knows almost immediately that ‘completely normal’ is impossible, but Blaine manages to slip into the jeans and shirt that Kurt handed him. He finds a bowtie between the clothes and smiles at it. He thinks back on the amount of them he still owns but never wears, old ones from when he was a kid, but also some from just before the jeans and leather became his uniform. Blaine doesn’t put it on, but once his clothes are all on and his hair is back in an almost decent shape, he walks out with the bowtie in his hand, and starts looking for Kurt.

“Hey,” he says quietly when he finds Kurt in the kitchen, pulling out things out of the fridge.

“Hey, I thought we could eat something,” Kurt responds, but doesn’t turn to Blaine immediately. “I mean, it’s been a while since breakfast. We could drive to your house then and get whatever you need, if you’d like?”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Blaine nods, even though Kurt can’t see him. “Thank you for the clothes,” he adds.

That makes Kurt turn around, and Blaine blushes again when Kurt’s eyes run down his body and a smile emerges on Kurt’s lips. The smile disappears, though, when Kurt spots the bowtie in Blaine’s hand, and a frown replaces the admiring look.

“Oh, I just picked what I thought would look good on you,” Kurt says and steps closer to Blaine. “I know it’s no leather jacket or band T-shirt, but I don’t actually own any of those. I could find something else, if you’d like, I’m sure I can dig out something less… formal.”

“No,” Blaine shakes his head at Kurt’s nervous rambling. “No, I like it. I used to wear stuff like this all the time… before,” he adds, not too keen on elaborating.

He walks towards Kurt and opens the hand with the bowtie, offering it to Kurt with a smile.

“I was just thinking,” Blaine says, then pauses and bites his lip before he looks back into Kurt’s eyes. “Could you put it on for me, please?”

He hears the hitch in Kurt’s breathing and the next moment, Kurt’s hands are up by the collar of the shirt that Blaine is wearing, lifting it up. Blaine offers the bowtie and lifts his chin, exposing his neck to Kurt, so Kurt can put the bowtie on. Both of their breathing sounds a little off-rhythm in the silence of the room and Blaine shivers when Kurt’s fingers brush over the fabric just firmly enough that he can feel it. The bowtie strap wraps around his neck and Kurt adjusts it so it fits snugly, then tugs the shirt collar over it, his fingers lingering on Blaine’s skin for a beat.

“Thank you,” Blaine whispers, meeting Kurt’s eyes again.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Kurt smiles and leans in for a brief kiss. “I have a feeling we’ll have a conversation about bowties, though.”

“Yeah,” Blaine nods. “Yeah, I think we will. But maybe later?”

“Whenever you want,” Kurt says and links his fingers with Blaine’s. “Now come on, let’s eat.”


	25. Follow Me

When Blaine walks into his house, feeling Kurt’s presence right behind him, it feels like a stranger’s place, like he doesn’t really belong anymore. He doesn’t know where the feeling is coming from, because it wasn’t as bad the last time he was there. And that was, he reminds himself, not even two days ago. Still, the house is empty and there’s none of the sensation of _home_ that he’s already used to from Kurt’s house. For a moment he wonders if it’s because his parents aren’t home, or because so much has already changed in his life. As he stops in his tracks by the door to the music room, Kurt pretty much runs into him since Blaine doesn’t give him any warning.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers in Blaine’s ear, then wraps his arms around Blaine. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Blaine nods uncertainly. “It just feels… weird here. Like it’s someone else’s house.”

“Was earlier that completely life-changing?” Kurt asks with a chuckle.

“Maybe,” Blaine blushes and leans into Kurt’s embrace. “Wasn’t it for you?”

“Everything for the last two days has been,” Kurt says simply. “You are.”

Blaine turns his head to look at Kurt, and before he can say anything, Kurt leans in for a kiss, taking Blaine’s breath away yet again. There’s a moment of clarity where Blaine thinks he’ll need to learn to get a hold on the way he falls whenever Kurt does something like this, but it doesn’t last. He melts into the kiss and further into Kurt’s arms, the strange feeling of being in a place he doesn’t belong gone immediately.

“So, uh,” Kurt says, his breathing a little shaky. “We should get your stuff, then go back. I’ll need to cook something for dinner, so Dad doesn’t get the idea to order pizza or something similarly stupid.”

“Y-yeah, we should,” Blaine nods, but otherwise doesn’t move.

His knees are still a little unsteady, but a moment later, hand linked with Kurt’s, he heads up the stairs to his bedroom. Once there, the feeling of familiarity comes back. He breathes in deeply once he’s past the door, the smell of his aftershave lingering in the air. The room is tidy, like he left it the day before, and he’s glad that his habit of keeping it clean and putting everything in its place is so ingrained in his mind that it withheld even when _he_ was out of sorts.

“So, this is my room,” he says quietly, but doesn’t look at Kurt.

Instead, he walks to his wardrobe and opens it, then stares at the lined up clothes, debating what to pack. He hears Kurt coming closer, his ears already attuned to the sound of his soulmate’s breathing and quiet steps across the hardwood floor. Still, Blaine doesn’t turn around, not even when Kurt puts his hand on Blaine’s shoulder.

“I kind of expected there to be more bikes in the photos,” Kurt says quietly, amusement laced through his tone. “Maybe tattoo sketches on your desk.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint,” Blaine replies and finally spins on the spot to face Kurt. “This is _me_ ,” he says and waves a hand towards the rest of the room.

“I like this you,” Kurt smiles at him and then lifts Blaine’s chin up a little. “Though I will be asking about the trophies up there.” Kurt nods towards the shelf where Blaine knows his little sports trophies are.

“It’s nothing,” he shrugs. “It’s from long ago.”

“Polo, though?” Kurt raises an eyebrow. “I’d have guessed… no, actually, I don’t know what I would have guessed. Not _polo_ , though.”

“Dad’s family, they’re…” Blaine starts and chokes on his words.

The topic of his extended family is not pleasant; it brings up all his recent experiences again and he shivers, differently than he does at Kurt’s touches. He turns his face to the floor and takes a deep breath, trying to shake off the panic that’s rising in his chest.

“Not now, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers and lifts Blaine’s chin again. “Or ever, if you don’t want to tell me, okay?”

“I want to, but…” Blaine pauses again. “They’re everything I never wanted to be. Everything Cooper never wanted to be. Everything Dad took Mom and himself away from.”

“I’m glad he did,” Kurt says. “I don’t know them, but from what I’ve caught so far, I’m guessing it wasn’t easy for your parents.”

Blaine shakes his head and shudders, the retelling of how his parents met and bonded flashing through his mind. He’s heard the story a few times, though never in too much detail. He asked once, but his Mom told him it was better that he didn’t know everything. He saw the roots of the way his Dad was raised in some of the man’s behavior sometimes, but Blaine counted himself lucky that most of the opinions didn’t stick.

“I’ll tell you, I promise,” Blaine whispers and seeks out Kurt’s hand to link their fingers together. “I might need to ask Mom for the details, though. Or ask if she can tell the story; it is hers, after all.”

“That would be nice,” Kurt nods. “Maybe when they get back, we could all go out for dinner or something? Get to know each other. I know my Dad will want to meet them.”

“Sure, yeah,” Blaine says, but his mind is already drifting to something else.

He glances to the other side of the room and his eyes linger on the photo of the family from a particularly happy vacation, just before Cooper left for LA.

“Sweetheart?” Kurt’s voice is quiet when he speaks to Blaine again. “Can I help you pack? Is there anything I can do?”

Blaine shakes his head and glances back to the wardrobe, then tugs on a pile of T-shirts to pull them out. Kurt’s fingers slip out of his, and when Blaine turns to move the pile in his hands to the bed, Kurt’s there, waiting to take over.

“Let me help, please?” Kurt asks and Blaine’s shoulders relax before he hands the clothes over.

As he watches Kurt walk across the room, Blaine wonders why he’s feeling so tense. It’s like a spring is inside him, being tightened with every inhale, stretching to the point of breaking. Kurt’s been following Blaine’s lead since they decided to come over to Blaine’s house and it feels _off_ , like it’s not something Blaine should be in charge of. There’s tension in the air, even though Blaine is sure it’s not coming from Kurt, but entirely from within Blaine himself. He hears the echo of Coach Sylvester’s words in his mind again, pressing at his consciousness. Unlike the anxiety that he felt in the class itself, this time it’s a curiosity and an instinct that makes him wonder if there was something to them.

“Sweetheart?” Kurt’s voice comes from across the room, but sounds more distant than that for a moment.

Blaine’s eyebrows scrunch in confusion when he feels the touch of Kurt’s hand on his chin, the pressure against his jaw that lifts Blaine’s head up. He doesn’t remember looking down, and he was sure Kurt was by his bed only a second ago.

“Blaine, are you okay?” Kurt asks, and Blaine cringes and the tone of concern, guilt creeping into his chest for making his Dom worry.

“Yes, sir,” he whispers.

“Sweetheart?” Kurt repeats, but doesn’t ask a direct question at first.

Blaine feels his soulmate’s eyes scanning the expression in Blaine’s face. His own eyes are almost closed, even as his head is tilted so he’d look at Kurt.

“Tell me what’s going on,” Kurt says firmly then.

Immediately, Blaine’s shoulders relax and he lets out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding while Kurt was looking at him with concern. But there it is now, a clear direction, something Blaine _can_ do, something his body and mind were demanding. When he tries to put his feelings into words, though, he comes up with nothing.

“I don’t…” Blaine sucks in a breath when Kurt’s palm cups his jaw. “I’m not sure, sir.”

There’s no plan or deliberation in tacking on the title after his response. Blaine says it without thinking, like moments earlier, and he finally opens his eyes properly to look into Kurt’s. He finds them open wide and shocked, but also notices the flicker of understanding in Kurt’s expression.

“Come with me,” Kurt says and reaches for Blaine’s hand.

They walk over towards Blaine’s bed and stop at the edge, Kurt steering Blaine until the back of Blaine’s knees hits the side.

“Sit down.”

The reaction is automatic. Blaine’s knees give in and he’s on the bed before he can realize what’s happening. With each little thing, his defences are falling off and the fog in his mind is growing stronger, but also warmer and more comforting.

“Blaine, look at me,” Kurt commands, and Blaine’s eyes turn up.

He gasps when Kurt’s thumb brushes over the bottom lip that Blaine has jutting out a little, jaw dropped as he’s breathing heavily.

“Safewords?” Blaine hears Kurt asking and they come out in a hushed whisper, one after another, followed by Kurt’s nods of approval.

“Don’t go too far on me, sweetheart,” Kurt mutters and bends down to replace the thumb that’s been caressing Blaine’s lips with his own mouth, the kiss growing deep immediately.

Blaine feels the pressure against his shoulders a moment later and lets himself fall back onto the bed, his head thumping gently against the comforter. He huffs out a breath and almost whimpers at the loss of the touch of Kurt’s lips on his own, but before the feeling can register properly, Kurt’s above him and their mouths are connected again. Blaine feels the way the bed dips between his legs where Kurt’s knee is wedged to support him, and he parts his thighs to make more space so Kurt can slot both his legs between Blaine’s. He thinks he can hear Kurt let out a quiet moan, but it feels distant, like they’re underwater and everything is muffled.

“Breathe, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers as Blaine feels a tickling breath by his ear.

The words are clear, unlike everything else around him; the order is the only thing his brain registers completely. He gasps when Kurt’s lips trace the outline of Blaine’s jaw with gentle kisses, and he grips the comforter that his fingers have been resting against when Kurt moves his mouth to Blaine’s neck.

When Blaine’s hips jerk up in search of friction and the awareness of being hard and of _wanting_ hits, Kurt brings a hand to Blaine’s side and presses down, holding Blaine in place. Instead of grinding down and providing the contact that Blaine’s body is craving, Kurt pulls away and looks down at Blaine.

“Open your eyes,” Kurt says and Blaine’s eyelids move sluggishly. “Don’t move. Let me guide this, sweetheart. Be good for me.”

“Yes, sir,” Blaine gasps out and nods, his grip on the comforter tightening.

“Don’t move, don’t touch,” Kurt continues as he leans down towards Blaine again, whispering the words against Blaine’s lips, then his cheek. “You can hold off for me, can’t you, beautiful?”

Blaine whimpers, but he nods. The expected feeling of the coil inside him tightening doesn’t come, though he’s expecting it. But Kurt’s words, the gentle orders, are just what Blaine needs to hear to relax. While he can feel his arousal tugging at his cock, the rest of him is floating, and except for the fingers gripping on the sheets, his body is completely loose. He feels each touch from Kurt’s lips against his skin, feels the sparks that start where Kurt’s hand is still on his side, feels Kurt’s fingers drifting lower and catching on the waistband of the jeans Blaine is wearing. He can feel his own breathing deepen, hears it matching Kurt’s heavy inhales.

“You’re beautiful like this, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s ear.

It’s then that Blaine feels Kurt shift and move closer, Kurt gasping when he straddles Blaine’s thigh and ruts against it slowly. Even through the layers of denim, Blaine can feel the hardness against his leg, his own hard cock straining. But Kurt’s orders stop Blaine from moving, regardless of how much his muscles begin to tense and how much he feels the urge to get some friction.

Kurt continues whispering into Blaine’s ear and moves his hips slowly against Blaine’s thigh, the movements getting less steady and fluid with each slide. Blaine still feels like floating, the tension of his arousal _just_ enough to keep the sparks rushing through him but not too much that he’d fall over the edge without being told to. He gives in to the feeling of Kurt being in control and breathes, Kurt’s muttered endearments and whispered pet names making Blaine feel warm and cared for. Then Kurt presses his lips against Blaine’s and kisses him deeply, his hips stuttering against Blaine’s thigh. Blaine can feel the gasp of Kurt’s climax and something in him snaps, like he was waiting for Kurt’s release and like it’s enough.

He still feels a little like he’s floating, but slowly, gradually starts coming back to the reality around them. He becomes aware of the almost cramped tension in his fingers where he was holding on to the comforter, and of the damp patch on Kurt’s jeans seeping through into Blaine’s.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers, a caring expression in his face. “Are you okay?”

Blaine nods, not trusting his voice to function.

“Do you need me to…?” Kurt asks and motions towards Blaine’s crotch, but Blaine shakes his head. “Are you sure? I mean, I didn’t _plan to_ …”

The way Kurt gets flustered and rambles makes Blaine smile a little and, sensing that whatever scene they just did is over now, he brings a hand to Kurt’s face and settles his palm against the flushed cheek.

“Thank you,” he whispers and watches Kurt’s eyes widen in surprise. “That was… I needed that. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Kurt breathes out and shakes his head like he’s trying to make sense of what just happened. “I might need a change of clothes now,” he cringes and looks between them.

“Well, it will be nice to see _you_ in something of _mine_ this time,” Blaine grins, but makes no move to get up. “Can we just… stay here for a moment?” He asks quietly instead and drops his hand, then lets Kurt catch it and link their fingers.

“Of course,” Kurt nods and shifts, tugging Blaine higher on the bed until they’re both comfortably on their sides.

Their hands are linked between them, and Kurt leans in to brush his lips against Blaine’s. A moment later, Blaine feels his eyelids getting heavier, and he drifts off slowly, the last thing on his mind the taste of Kurt’s tongue dipping between his parted lips.


	26. Shifting Tides

Blaine’s eyes open slowly and he shivers, then realizes that it’s because he’s alone in his bed and the covers are off to the side. He tries to remember when he moved _under_ them, but his mind comes up with nothing. For a few minutes, he lies there, eyes seeking out the familiar cracks in the ceiling, and tries to remind himself that he didn’t just dream the past two days.

_Maybe I did_ , he thinks. _Maybe none of that was real_.

Just as he’s about to get out of the bed and look through the house for _some_ evidence of Kurt, the door opens and his soulmate walks in. Blaine’s lips immediately turn up into a smile and he shifts to sit up.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Kurt says with a grin matching Blaine’s. “I thought you’d be still asleep.”

“Just woke up,” Blaine says, then he frowns. “Wait, we fell asleep. How long did we sleep?”

“Me, about twenty minutes,” Kurt answers. “You, I think it’s been about an hour.”

Blaine’s mind registers that Kurt has a tray in his hands _and_ is wearing a pair of Blaine’s shorts, ones that he had on top of his bathroom hamper. Then he looks down and notices that his own pants have been pulled off, which makes his cheeks heat up.

“Oh, yeah,” he hears Kurt mumble. “I’m sorry, I promise I didn’t… I’m not a perv, and I didn’t completely undress you, but the jeans.. I figured they’d be uncomfortable.”

Blaine bites his bottom lip and tries to hide the grin that’s taking over his face when he watches Kurt get all flustered. It’s more adorable than anything Blaine’s seen so far, and he _really_ doesn’t mind the thought of Kurt taking his clothes off; he just wishes he’d been awake for it.

“It’s okay,” Blaine finally whispers, just as Kurt lowers the tray onto the bed. “Just caught me a little off-guard. For the record,” he blushes harder, but continues, “I don’t mind. At all.”

The last two words are said with his eyes locked on Kurt’s, as Blaine tries to convey the sincerity in what he’s saying. He watches the color rise in Kurt’s cheeks, matching his own blush.

“O-okay,” Kurt stutters. “I’ll remember that,” he says with a wink, though Blaine can still see the remnants of Kurt being flustered and apologetic.

Blaine pulls the covers back over himself, suddenly way too aware of the lack of fabric between them. Even though Kurt is still standing by the foot of the bed and its size is putting a distance between them, Blaine’s imagination wanders on its own. He can still feel the remnants of the sensations from earlier, when their bodies were against each other, and he can’t help the reaction his body has to that.

“What have you got there?” he asks, trying to distract Kurt, but also himself.

“I didn’t know where everything was,” Kurt says and blushes again. “I hope I didn’t cross any boundaries by just being around the house, but I figured you could do with some snacks. That was… kind of intense, earlier,” he adds, almost as an afterthought.

For a moment, Blaine looks at his soulmate with curiosity and wonders whether the scene is playing on Kurt’s mind as much as it is on Blaine’s. He tries to pull up a clearer recollection of what happened, but all he comes up with is the same feeling he _still_ has. It’s similar to when he knelt at Kurt’s feet before; he wants to know he’s Kurt’s, that he has a Dominant. Blaine’s mind flashes back to the mentions of this from Burt and Cooper, about the submissive instincts, but he still doesn’t completely understand them.

“No, that’s…” he starts, and when his voice feels scratchier than usual, clears his throat. “Thank you. It’s perfect. If Mom and Dad were home, it may have been awkward, since you’re in… that,” Blaine waves a hand towards the shorts that don’t do much to cover Kurt’s legs.

“Yeah, but going through your closet did seem a little too much,” Kurt says sheepishly. “I mean, these were _there_ , so I didn’t think you’d mind.”

Yet again, the word _adorable_ comes to Blaine’s mind when Kurt blushes. Then he backs up a little when Kurt climbs on the bed and pushes the tray towards Blaine.

“Now, are you going to eat something, or will I need to feed you?” Kurt says with a small laugh when Blaine’s jaw drops at the last part.

“No, I’ll eat by myself, thank you,” Blaine replies and brings his eyes to the tray again.

It’s distracting, though, because Kurt is sitting cross-legged right in Blaine’s line of sight, and the view of a lot more exposed skin than he’d expected to see makes Blaine’s head spin a little. He picks up a slice of fruit, not focused at all on what it is, and brings it to his mouth, then closes his eyes as he chews with determination. Barely two bites in, he hears what sounds like a small moan and he opens his eyes again. Kurt’s watching him with his lips parted, eyes wide open and a hand gripping one of the water bottles from the tray.

“Okay,” Blaine breathes out. “I’ll go… I don’t think any of my clothes will fit you, I’m pretty sure they’ll all be short. I’ll be right back,” he rambles and slips out of the bed. “Cooper still has some clothes here; they’ll fit much better. I’ll just…”

He’s still rambling as he’s walking towards the door and resists the urge to turn back, because he knows he would walk right back to the bed and kiss Kurt. Blaine’s mind is warring with his urge to do just that, but he tries to maintain _some_ control. It’s only when he’s walking through the door that he feels the cool air against his skin, reminding him of the fact that he’s not wearing his jeans. Instead of letting it show, he keeps walking, though only until he’s just out of sight. Then, he leans against the hallway wall and takes a few deep, steadying breaths.

“Get yourself together, Blaine,” he whispers to himself and startles at how loud the words echo in the empty space.

_Stop, Blaine_ , he thinks then, not wanting Kurt to know he’s panicking a little. _Breathe_.

It’s overwhelming, the combination of pure _want_ that he hasn’t known before, and the urge to do exactly what sent him into a panic in Coach Sylvester’s class. Blaine is sure that he doesn’t want Kurt to be treating him the way the coach and Blane’s own family treat submissives. But he can’t deny that around Kurt he feels the need to _be good_ , be obedient, wait for Kurt’s orders. Fear rises in him when he thinks of the possibility that he’ll react that way to _anyone_.

After a few more deep gasps for air, he pushes himself away from the wall and rushes into Cooper’s bedroom at the other end of the hallway. He doesn’t waste much time in there, and since Coop barely has anything left behind, Blaine grabs a pair of jeans he hopes Kurt won’t hate, then starts towards the door. Again, he’s reminded by the cool hallway air that he’s still only in his underwear, so he spins back and grabs a pair of sweatpants, pulling them on before he heads back to his own room.

“I thought you got lost,” Kurt greets him when Blaine walks in the door. “I mean, it _is_ a big house, but I would’ve thought you know it.”

Blaine blushes and hands the jeans over, “No, just… here, these should be long enough. They’re not that fashionable, I’m sorry, but…”

“They’ll be fine, sweetheart,” Kurt says when he steps closer, takes the jeans out of Blaine’s hands and leans in, then brushes his lips against Blaine’s cheek. “I’ll go change. Can you promise you’ll eat something?”

“Y-yes, I will,” Blaine nods.

It’s not an order, but Blaine feels like not eating would mean disappointing his Dom. So, despite his mind being occupied by imagining Kurt changing into the jeans -- _don’t even go there, Blaine, be good_ \-- he picks and nibbles at various things from the tray.

He knows that if Kurt asks what he’s eaten, the answer will be along the lines of “food”, because whatever he’s putting in his mouth doesn’t seem to taste like anything memorable. Blaine continues nibbling slowly and takes a few sips of water, all while watching the bathroom door, waiting for Kurt to come back out.

“Hey again,” Kurt says when he finally emerges, fully dressed, which Blaine can’t deny is a little disappointing. “Oh good, you’ve eaten,” Kurt nods towards the tray and Blaine finally looks down, seeing that he _has_ managed to eat almost everything that was there.

“Yeah, seems like I did,” he mumbles, a little thrown off by not knowing what the food was.

“Do you want to pack a few things, or…” Kurt’s voice fades out, and he’s looking at Blaine expectantly.

“Packing, yes,” Blaine nods.

It’s making him nervous, the way he’s shaken so much by everything around him, the way he doesn’t know what he wants to or should do. Kurt obviously notices, because when Blaine slides out of the bed and heads towards his closet, there are hands on his waist, and he spins to meet Kurt’s eyes.

“Sweetheart, breathe,” Kurt says quietly, his palms pressing gently against Blaine’s sides. “Are you okay?”

“I… don’t know?” Blaine answers honestly, then shakes his head to rid it of the foggy feeling.

“What can I do?” Kurt asks and lifts Blaine’s chin with his fingers, keeping their eyes locked. “Earlier, you didn’t… do you need to…?”

Blaine doesn’t miss the blush creeping back into Kurt’s face, then realizes what Kurt is talking about.

“No,” he shakes his head.

His mind supplies the words from earlier, the feeling of being on the edge but not allowed to let go, the comfort of Kurt’s control. Blaine knows he doesn’t need the instant gratification of an orgasm right then, even as he feels his cock stirring at the memory.

“Are you sure? I mean, we didn’t discuss _that_ , but when we were…” Kurt takes a deep breath, but doesn’t move his eyes from Blaine’s. “It felt right, somehow. I’m sorry if I pushed too much…”

Blaine doesn’t think before he stretches to reach Kurt’s lips, pressing his own to them firmly. The kiss doesn’t last long, and Blaine moves away with a smile on his face.

“You didn’t. You… everything was perfect,” Blaine says, then finds Kurt’s hand with his own and squeezes it gently. “You’re… you’re dealing with this all so much better than I am,” Blaine admits and ducks his head.

“Oh, I’m really not,” Kurt says quietly, and Blaine lifts his head up. “Blaine, I’m just as new to this as you are,” he adds with a sincere tone.

“But you don’t seem to be … lost. Or floating away at the tiniest little things,” Blaine mutters. “I mean, I have.. I _crave_ things I didn’t even think I would. Things that I just said yesterday I didn’t _want_.”

“Do you think you can tell me?” Kurt asks.

Blaine tries to figure out if the question is Kurt asking out of plain curiosity, or if it’s a part of their designated roles. There’s no indication in Kurt’s tone or expression as to why he asked, but then Blaine figures it doesn’t matter. Because as much as he feels that all those wants and wishes that are flooding his mind are making him feel out of his element, he also wants Kurt to know, because he’s the only one who can make them happen. And part of Blaine wants to know if what he wants is something that Kurt would want, too.

“I… yeah, but maybe not here?” he asks.

“You’ll need to pack up then, sweetheart,” Kurt smiles and leans in for a gentle kiss to Blaine’s cheek. “Let me help and we’ll be done faster. Dad’s not going to be home for another few hours; we’ll have time to talk.”

“Thank you,” Blaine sighs at the brush of Kurt’s lips against his skin.

He doesn’t let go of Kurt’s hand when he heads over to the closet again, already cataloguing in his mind which clothes he wants to bring. They do work fast, Blaine pulling things off the shelves and Kurt packing them into a duffel bag, and Blaine can’t stop smiling at how well they work together. He’s just staring at two polo shirts, remnants from his time before McKinley, though he knows they still fit, when the sound of an approaching car startles him enough to make him gasp.


	27. Surprise Arrival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, sorry for the delay with this one and a heads up - Glee will be airing on Tuesdays, so I'm reshuffling the posting days to Wednesday/Sunday. I meant to mention it before I changed, sorry I didn't (life and flu and stuff happened). Thanks for sticking with the fic!

“Blaine?”

Kurt’s voice brings Blaine back to reality. A reality where he can hear a car engine approaching, clearly coming closer to the house, and since there’s no other building in the vicinity, there’s no denying that it’s someone coming to the Anderson residence.

“Y-yeah, I just…” Blaine stumbles over his words and pulls himself out of Kurt’s arms.

 _When did he get so close? How long was I lost in thought?_ Blaine asks himself, but he doesn’t dwell on the answers because the engine sounds cuts out. Blaine rushes to the window so he can peek at the driveway.

The few seconds that it takes him to get there and look are filled with a mixture of dread and anticipation. On one hand, he would love to see his parents, though he doubts they drove down, since it’s unlikely Cooper gave them details on the developments in Blaine’s life. The brother code is solid, and neither of them would share things like the other one bonding or, more importantly, needing a tutor because of the unfortunate situation in school. No, Blaine knows it’s more likely that Cooper would come up with an excuse for why they need to get to Lima faster _and_ why he’ll need the tutoring license soon. But on the other hand, Blaine knows that if Cooper didn’t divulge details, their parents might panic and send a family member to check on Blaine, even though they normally don’t have a problem with leaving him alone.

It’s that part that makes him shiver in fear, because the only family that lives nearby is Uncle Albert, who is about the last person Blaine wants to deal with. He’s still unsure about how he’ll react to other Doms if they try to give him direct orders; he doesn’t trust himself to not succumb to his submissive instincts. There’s a weak thought in his mind that tells him that he managed to resist orders from Coach Sylvester, but he knows that it was before his instincts got harder to resist. And for the moment, he doesn’t know if that’s something that he’ll learn to deal with once he’s having tutoring, or if he’ll have to get used to it. What he knows is that he’d rather not deal with Uncle Albert’s methods of Dominance, since they’re all too similar to Coach Sylvester’s.

“Blaine, are you sure you’re okay?” Kurt says quietly, and Blaine is startled because he didn’t expect his Dom to be so close. “You’re shaking.”

“I’m not…” Blaine tries to protest, but once the words are out he realizes that the shivers are strong enough to be noticed by someone other than him. Especially since Kurt’s standing right behind Blaine and his hands are already reaching for Blaine’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize…”

“No need to apologize,” Kurt says kindly. “But maybe you could tell me why? I’d like to help you calm down, if I can.”

“It’s just,” Blaine starts, but glances through the window before he finishes the sentence.

The relief when he sees his parents’ car is immediate, and he can hear Kurt breathe out heavily in relief when the shivers stop. It’s a different kind of anxiety that runs through Blaine when the knowledge hits him that his Mom and Dad are home. The fear is gone, but he’s still nervous, because he thought he had another day, at least, to prepare himself for telling them everything. He’s glad that Kurt is with him, but it also adds a little to the chaos in his mind, because the images of earlier, of what happened in Blaine’s bed, are still fresh.

“I need to get dressed,” Blaine mumbles, but he doesn’t make too much of an effort to move.

“Blaine, sweetheart,” Kurt’s hold on Blaine’s shoulders tightens, then Blaine feels the gentle pressure and gives in to it, letting Kurt turn him around. “You’re dressed. You’ll be okay. They won’t know.”

Blaine’s eyes widen at the last line. He wonders how Kurt knows that what’s at the forefront of Blaine’s mind is his parents knowing about them. About things he can barely bring himself to _think_ about, let alone discuss with his Mom or Dad.

“Unless they have a dress code,” Kurt frowns suddenly. “Because I’m pretty sure Cooper’s jeans might fit that for _him_ , but hardly for me.”

“No,” Blaine breathes out with a chuckle. “There’s no dress code. I’m just… I don’t want to talk to them about… _that_.”

“Oh, sweetheart, I doubt they’ll ask.” Kurt smiles and lifts his thumb to Blaine’s forehead, then he brushes over the worry lines as if he’s trying to clear them. “It’s been two days, which for a lot of bonds is enough to… well, let’s say we’re not rushing into things.”

Blaine nods and the frown eases, but a blush creeps into his cheeks instead. He’s not really sure which one he would rather deal with, but they both seem equally distracting. His Mom will know, Blaine is sure of that, but he’s also realizing that she won’t ask.

“I do need to ask you, though,” Kurt speaks up again. “Are you going to be okay? I mean, we did… but you didn’t…”

Kurt’s cheeks are bright red as he stumbles over his words, and Blaine can’t help feeling relieved that he’s not the only one struggling with talking about the intimate moments they shared. He nods quickly, before Kurt can panic or worry too much, because he can see the lines forming on Kurt’s forehead already.

“That… I’ll definitely be fine,” Blaine says firmly, but then adds with a quieter, more hesitant tone. “Well, now, at least. But that… I didn’t need to, I don’t… no, I’ll be fine,” he finishes in a final, unwavering tone and looks to Kurt with a smile.

“Okay,” Kurt nods. “You’ll tell me if you need anything? Or let me know in some way?”

“Of course… sir,” Blaine drops his gaze to the ground when the title slips from his lips.

There’s silence in response to Blaine’s words, then he feels Kurt’s hand against his chin and he gives in to the gentle pressure. Their eyes meet, and before Blaine gets a chance to say more, Kurt’s lips are pressed against his own. The kiss deepens quickly, but not beyond the point where Blaine would start losing himself, because they get interrupted by his Mom’s voice calling his name from downstairs. Blaine pulls away reluctantly, aware that he was only moments from the comfort of the subspace fog.

“We’d better go meet them,” Kurt mutters, his breathing a little shaky.

“Okay,” Blaine nods and reaches for Kurt’s hand. “Let’s get this over and done with. I do want to know how Cooper got them to drive here today.”

The grip that Blaine has on Kurt’s hand while they walk slowly down the stairs is firm and steadying. He’s mulling over what he wants and doesn’t want to tell his parents, but all too soon he realizes that he’ll have to wing it. He hears their voices out of the kitchen, and there’s an unmistakably worried tone to both of them, which he immediately wants to erase.

“Mom? Dad?” Blaine peeks into the kitchen door with the last bit of hesitation.

Then, with a deep breath, he tugs on Kurt’s hand and glances back at his Dom. Blaine’s panic is only held at bay by the touch between them, and it crosses his mind to let Kurt lead. But the unfairness of throwing Kurt into the room with Blaine’s parents and wanting to stand back makes itself known in the form of guilt. So Blaine steels himself and walks right into the bright room, his bottom lip trapped between his teeth as he faces his parents.

“Blaine, honey,” his Mom rushes over immediately, and her arms wrap around him tightly.

He doesn’t let go of Kurt’s hand, but lets himself melt into the hug for a moment, breathing in the familiar scent. Blaine knows his Dad’s eyes are on them, but he clenches his eyes closed until he feels his Mom let go. It’s then that he seeks out his father’s eyes, and Blaine freezes for a moment, trying to decipher the emotions behind them. There’s worry, he can see that clearly in the expression and the lines across his Dad’s forehead, but there’s also relief, now that Blaine’s in the room and obviously in one piece.

“Blaine, are you okay?” His Mom speaks up first, her hands on Blaine’s shoulders, and when he looks to her, he notices her frown and the way she looks him over for … he’s not sure what she’s looking for. “Cooper wouldn’t tell us. Well, besides telling us that he’ll be fine in Columbus and that we should be home for you. What happened, honey?”

“Mom, I’m okay,” Blaine jumps in the moment she stops to take a breath. “Nothing _bad_ happened, I promise. I just…”

He pauses, glances to his Dad and then turns to Kurt, who’s looking a little nervous, but still squeezing Blaine’s hand in a reassuring way. Blaine smiles and then turns back to his parents, seeking out his Mom’s eyes first.

“Mom, Dad, this is Kurt,” Blaine says quietly, but with a steady voice. “I wanted to tell you right away, but you left to meet Cooper and… well…” He takes a deep breath and tugs Kurt a little closer, so he can feel his presence. “We bonded. The day before you guys left.”

Seconds tick by, and Blaine almost starts counting them in the silence that takes over the kitchen. He feels Kurt’s fingers tighten around his hand and squeezes back, then watches his parents’ eyes widen at the new information. His Mom’s hands are still on Blaine’s shoulders, and he can feel them twitch lightly, but they don’t move at first. No one does, really, and with each second, Blaine feels his worry get stronger. He knows Kurt’s right there, even if out of his line of sight, so Blaine leans in a little. The gesture is obviously enough of a surprise to make his Mom’s eyes widen even more. Then she glances over Blaine’s shoulder to Kurt, a questioning expression on her face. Blaine can feel Kurt nod, a barely there movement that Blaine registers only because Kurt’s cheek is almost leaning against his own.

“Oh, honey,” her voice _finally_ breaks the silence, his Mom’s tone a mixture of relief and joy.

Blaine gets pulled into a firm hug, and when he looks to his Dad, he can see the smile tugging on the man’s lips. There’s a second when Blaine wonders if his Dad might be disappointed in both of his kids being subs, but then the man’s eyes wander past Blaine and to Kurt. Blaine knows then that there’s no disappointment, because his Dad’s face flashes with happiness mixed with a glimpse of what Blaine recognizes as his Dad’s fierce protective streak.

“Dad,” Blaine says, a warning tone in his voice. “No threats, okay?”

“I wasn’t going to,” his Dad laughs at Blaine’s words. “Not yet, at least.”

Finally, Blaine’s Mom lets him go and nods towards Kurt before she faces Blaine with an apologetic expression in her face.

“Honey, I’m so sorry we weren’t here,” she starts saying, then caresses Blaine’s cheek in a gesture he knows as comforting. “But we’d been trying to get Cooper here, so we can meet… wait, you know about Cooper, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Blaine nods. “That’s why he called me this morning, to tell me.”

“Oh, I wondered if he did,” Blaine’s Mom says. “I didn’t get to ask him; he was pretty insistent on getting us on the road immediately.”

Blaine groans a little. “I just asked him to get you guys to _call_ me. He didn’t need to send the cavalry.”

“It’s okay,” Blaine’s Dad joins in. “We were going to come back tomorrow at the latest anyway. What’s an extra day? And Coop did say he had something else to do at the registry, though he wouldn’t elaborate.”

Blaine can feel the questioning look from his Dad, and he doesn’t manage to hide his own slightly sheepish expression at those words. Of course, he knows why Cooper needed to stay, but Blaine isn’t sure it’s a conversation he wants to start with.

“Yeah, I know,” he admits with a slight blush, then he clears his throat. “I’ll explain, but…” he pauses, then glances to Kurt, who still hasn’t said a word.

He sees nothing but a fond smile on Kurt’s face, and it makes Blaine pull a little away from his Mom and into Kurt’s side. After a smile at his soulmate, Blaine looks back to his parents.

“Aren’t you guys hungry? Or tired? I mean, did you skip lunch to get here?” He rattles off the questions to try and mask the remaining nervousness he still feels, since he knows the whole conversation is far from over.

“We could eat, but I have a feeling there’s more talking we need to do,” his Mom smiles, then frowns a little. “Are you sure everything is okay, honey?”

“It is now,” Blaine says and presses his body closer to Kurt’s. “It will be.”


	28. Parental Guidance

“We can talk while we’re eating,” Blaine suggests, and his gaze drifts from his Mom to Kurt. “I mean, we just had a little snack, but…”

He hesitates and bites his lip again, wondering if he should have asked or waited for someone else to make a suggestion. Meals with his parents usually involve a slightly formal setting, and a part of him hopes they’ll insist on it, because it would give him an excuse to sneak away under the guise of getting changed. But then he realizes that would either involve leaving Kurt with his parents _or_ bringing Kurt with him, into his bedroom. That thought brings heat into his face; he knows his parents would not mind them being alone, but they might also assume things Blaine doesn’t want _them_ to think about.

“How about we call for take-out and talk while we wait?” Blaine’s Dad offers.

Blaine knows immediately that his surprise is all over his face, and even if he didn’t know, the smirk in his father’s face would’ve told him so. If anyone ever suggests they don't put in the effort to cook a proper meal, it’s Blaine or his Mom. In a way it’s a relief to Blaine, though, because it means that his Dad seems to understand just how important the talk they’re about to have is to Blaine.

“Yeah, I’ll just…” Blaine waves a hand towards the sweatpants he’s in, trying to communicate that he thinks he should go change.

“It’s fine, honey,” his Mom reaches for Blaine’s free hand and nods in the direction of the living room. “Let’s just leave your Dad to ordering the food while we make ourselves comfortable.”

“Okay,” Blaine says quietly, but he doesn’t move.

Kurt’s fingers tighten around Blaine’s, which makes Blaine glance up to his soulmate.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Kurt leans closer to Blaine’s ear. “Get this over with and then you won’t have anyone else to tell it all to again.”

Blaine nods and sighs, then straightens up and looks back to his Mom, noticing the fond smile on her lips and reflected in her eyes.

“I’m thinking we should just go with pizza,” Blaine’s Dad calls out from the other side of the kitchen where he’s flipping through a pile of take-out menus. “Kurt, are you allergic to anything?”

“No, sir, I’m not,” Kurt answers.

Blaine frowns, because the title sounds _wrong_ coming from Kurt’s mouth. There’s a slightly nagging voice at the back of his mind that urges him to shout “ _mine_.” He manages to push the urge away, tell himself that it’s nothing but a polite title for a parent, that it doesn’t have the same meaning as when Blaine uses it to address his Dom.

“Okay, swee-” Blaine’s Mom starts and immediately freezes mid-word when Blaine’s eyes shoot wide open and he shakes his head. “Honey,” she corrects herself after she clears her throat and glances to her husband with a raised eyebrow that matches the one in the older man’s face. “Let’s go have a seat; I think there’s quite a bit we need to talk about.”

“Yeah, but…” Blaine tries to protest with a look to his Dad, who is already on the phone to the restaurant he picked.

“I’ll be with you all in a few minutes,” his Dad says when he notices Blaine’s look. “Go, have a drink, _breathe_.”

Blaine shivers at the word, but he immediately realizes that the direct order doesn’t seem to affect him as much as he worried it might. It makes him feel equally relieved and surprised, because while he’s glad that it seems to mean that he won’t be easily ordered around by anyone, Blaine still doesn’t understand why he craves and follows orders from Kurt so readily.

He’s lost in his musings enough that he barely realizes that Kurt’s guiding him into the living room, and it’s only when they both stop and look at the couches that he hesitates. His Mom is already sitting down on the smaller couch that Blaine knows to be her favorite, but there are a few options for where he should settle.

“Blaine, do you…” Kurt starts and Blaine’s head whips around, his eyes wide and slightly panicky. “Where do you want to sit?” Kurt finishes the question, his eyebrow up in surprise at Blaine’s reaction.

A beat later, Blaine lets out a breath, relieved that the question wasn’t what he panicked about. For a moment, he wondered if Kurt was going to ask if Blaine wanted to sit on the floor, or to kneel. It’s then that Blaine realizes that something in him makes both of those tempting, but he’s also aware of them not being alone in the room. When he glances to his Mom, she’s looking at them with what looks like slight amusement, and Blaine frowns.

“The couch is fine,” Blaine finally answers and, his fingers still gripping Kurt’s tight, he almost falls onto the soft cushions of the three-seater.

He expects awkward silence, because he knows the questions won’t start until his Dad is there, but even though Blaine feels it creeping up on them, it doesn’t last long. His Dad walks in with a tray filled with glasses and a jug of juice, explains that the pizza will take about half hour, and then he settles on the cushion next to his wife.

“So, honey, Cooper obviously didn’t tell us you bonded,” Blaine’s Mom says. “But why do I have a feeling there’s more to the story than that?”

“Because there is?” Blaine asks sheepishly.

“Would you like to start by explaining why you aren’t just arriving back from school?” Blaine’s Dad joins in, but the look in his face isn’t stern.

Both his parents look more concerned, increasingly so when they notice Blaine leaning into Kurt’s side and the way Blaine’s knuckles are almost white as his hand is gripping his Dom’s.

“Do you want me to explain, sweetheart?” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s ear, and Blaine knows it won’t carry across the room clearly enough for his parents to understand.

Blaine shakes his head, though. He glances at Kurt, and despite feeling the tension creeping into his body, he relaxes as much as he can into the hug that Kurt pulls him into. Their hands meet on Blaine’s stomach and their fingers link and rest against it before Blaine starts talking. He gives his parents an abridged version, with only the important parts. It’s easier, in a way, when he can reference his own relatives whose methods his parents are familiar with. His Mom tenses at the references to Coach Sylvester’s “‘rules,” and Blaine briefly wonders just how much of a story there is. It’s only when he gets to the part about needing a tutor for his lessons that realization shows in his Dad’s face.

“You want Cooper to do it,” Blaine’s Dad interrupts.

Blaine nods. “Yeah, I mean, he’s already said he would, and that’s why he stayed in Columbus. To get his tutoring license.”

“Blaine, honey, is that a good idea?” his Mom asks, the tone in her voice unmistakably worried.

“It’s the simplest option, Mom,” Blaine answers quietly. “I mean, we could try and find someone else, of course. But Coop doesn’t think the Dalton teachers will or _can_. Kurt’s Dad is a Dom. Neither of you two can do it. The school has no one else.”

“We could ask if Uncle Albert…” Blaine’s Dad starts, but Blaine’s panicked “No!” stops him.

“Honey, he might know someone, though,” Blaine’s Mom says unconvincingly.

“Mom, you know how those lessons would be,” Blaine almost growls. “I’m not… I _can’t_ do that.”

“I wouldn’t want him to,” Kurt finally joins in, then pulls Blaine closer. “I don’t wish you’d have seen him after that lesson, but it would help you understand. I just can’t let him be exposed to that again,” Kurt adds quietly.

“Blaine, you do need the tutoring, though,” his Mom says firmly. “You need to…” she pauses and takes a deep breath. “This is dangerous, sweetheart,” she says and Blaine freezes.

He feels Kurt’s arms wrap tighter around him, and it immediately helps Blaine settle. It takes him a moment to realize that it’s not because his Mom used what for Blaine is the pet name _Kurt_ uses. It’s Blaine who can’t shake the feeling of how wrong it seems, and Kurt must have noticed how Blaine’s body became tense.

“This is why you need the tutoring,” Blaine’s Dad says as realization hits him about the way Blaine’s instincts are taking over. “I don’t know how Kurt’s lessons on Dominance were, but you can’t wait around too long.”

“They were Dalton lessons, sir,” Kurt responds and tugs a hang out of the hold Blaine has on it, then rubs the free palm against Blaine’s shoulder. “I know enough to handle this, I think. Blaine’s been with us, and my Dad was keeping an eye on us. And it’s why Cooper seemed like a good idea, since it wouldn’t take long to start the lessons.”

“You’ve thought this through, right?” Blaine’s Mom asks. “You’ve considered the chance that Cooper will not be able to resist teasing you. That he might push some of your comfort zones. _Any_ tutor would, but you know your brother and his… fondness for teasing.”

“I know, Mom,” Blaine says quietly. “But I trust him. More than I would trust a stranger. And Uncle Albert’s suggestions would be either complete strangers, or people who might as well be, since I haven’t seen them in years.”

“There really isn’t anyone else you could think of?” Blaine’s Dad asks, the worry lines still strong on his forehead.

“Not on such short notice,” Blaine sighs.

“Okay,” Blaine’s Dad echoes the sigh and leans against the back of the couch.

“Really?” Blaine’s eyes widen in surprise.

“Cooper is… different, a little,” his Mom says, an amused smile playing on her lips. “Since he bonded, he’s mellower. He’s still Coop, don’t get me wrong, and he is still likely to drive you crazy, but maybe this won’t be a disaster.”

Blaine frowns at the comments, but the fact that his Mom thinks that it might be okay is comforting enough for the moment. He’s about the stop panicking when his Dad leans forward again and looks at Blaine with an inquisitive expression.

“So, Cooper it is, even though I would like to state that I warned you, Blaine,” the man says with a smirk that Blaine returns.

He’s glad that his Dad is amused instead of completely against the suggestion. Blaine had wondered if his parents would try to talk him out of it, try to suggest other options. They do have contacts and resources, he knows, but his brother is the one they can get to Lima the fastest. And he’s someone Blaine does trust, which he knows wouldn’t be easy with strangers, not after the school lesson.

“But,” Blaine’s Dad says, and brings Blaine back to the moment, “I hope you two at least managed to sign a contract and discuss limits?”

Blaine’s jaw drops at the direct question and then he feels the heat fill his cheeks.

“ _Dad!_ ” Blaine hisses, and then he feels Kurt’s fingers tense on Blaine’s shoulder. “You can’t just… oh _god_ ,” he groans and his head drops.

“You’re unsupervised, you’re full of hormones, and you’re an untutored submissive, son,” Blaine’s Dad continues with a completely unaffected tone. “I have to assume, especially since I know from Cooper that you didn’t spend the night here, that…”

“ _No_!” Blaine almost shouts and pulls his hands from Kurt’s hold to bury his face in them. “Dad please stop talking. Now, a minute ago, whenever.”

“Honey, it’s important…” Blaine’s Mom says, and Blaine glares at her.

“We have contracts, okay,” he finally says, only moving his hands enough to be able to speak. “We have safewords. We have the basics. We didn’t… we don’t…”

Blaine knows his face must be bright red, the blush warming his cheeks more with every second. There’s no way he can turn to look at Kurt, either, because the topic his parents brought up is one he didn’t expect to come up. And it’s something he barely has the courage to bring up with Kurt when they’re _alone_ , so it’s definitely a no-go when his Mom and Dad are in the room.

“You two warned me about _Cooper_ ,” he groans and covers his face again.

It’s only when he hears the quiet chuckle from across the room that he looks up again. His parents are looking at the boys, identical smirks in their faces as they watch Kurt and Blaine squirm in their seats.

“Ah, the magical moments of parenting,” Blaine’s Mom says, a chuckle following her words. “But it probably gave you an idea of what to expect from your brother.”

“I don’t even…” Blaine sighs, then takes a steadying breath before he speaks again. “Can we go now? I’d like to change into my own clothes.”

He registers his Dad’s nod, and begins to move. It’s only when both Kurt and he are standing up that the meaning behind his own words hits Blaine. He tries to hold back the cuss that crosses his mind, and only just manages to, his bottom lip between his teeth.

“You might want to give those back,” Blaine hears his Mom call out just as they reach the bottom of the stairs. “I mean, you don’t want to explain to Cooper why Kurt had his jeans, do you?”

“ _Mom, please don’t!_ ” Blaine yells back to her, then doesn’t hesitate anymore and pulls Kurt up the stairs.


	29. Talking Matters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! So so sorry I'm late with this chapter, it just wasn't happening. :( I'll try to make sure it won't happen again.

“I’m _so_ sorry, I don’t know what got into them,” Blaine says the moment they walk into his room, blissfully free of any sort of parental supervision. “They’re not normally like this. But then, maybe they would’ve been had I ever brought anyone home to meet them,” he blushes and looks down, then bites his lip.

“Blaine, it’s okay,” Kurt says, amusement ringing through his voice. “It’s not like my Dad was that much better. I think it’s a requirement for parents to be…” he drifts off and Blaine looks up, wondering how Kurt was going to finish that sentence.

_Embarrassing_ , that’s what comes to Blaine’s mind when he thinks back on the interaction with his Mom and Dad. _Ridiculous, insane, Cooperish_. The last one makes him pause, and his eyes narrow as he contemplates the idea of his brother tutoring him in submission.

“Embarrassing,” Blaine finally settles on.

When Kurt smiles, it’s soft and gentle, and it washes away some of Blaine’s feelings of frustration that linger from the talk with his parents.

“Maybe,” Kurt admits. “But they raised a good point.”

Blaine’s eyebrow lifts, showing his curiosity, and he waits for Kurt to elaborate. He wonders if it’s about Cooper and if Kurt is just as worried as Blaine’s parents about whether it’s a good idea. Blaine is prepared to stand his ground. He’s had enough experience handling his brother, and he is almost completely certain that it _is_ the best and most convenient option. And, if he’s honest with himself, he misses Cooper a little.

“The contract,” Kurt says simply and Blaine freezes.

“W-what about the contract?” he asks with a stutter, his cheeks immediately heating up again.

“Well,” Kurt reaches for Blaine’s hand and pulls him a little closer, then links their fingers. “What we did earlier and at my house was…” Kurt pauses and closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them to look at Blaine after a deep breath. “It’s something we should have discussed before we did anything,” he finally finishes, and Blaine’s eyes drop down to Kurt’s mouth, watching as Kurt pulls his bottom lip between his teeth.

“Okay,” Blaine says, then scrunches his eyebrows. “I didn’t… what do we need to talk about?”

“Not now, but we do need to talk about some changes,” Kurt says and sighs. “We have contracts, but there’s nothing in them about limits or wants. Or anything … _sexual_ ,” Kurt whispers the last word and blushes, but he doesn’t look away from Blaine.

“Oh.”

Blaine’s mind races with thoughts of what such a discussion might mean, what might come up, what he has -- even if only recently -- started fantasizing about. He thinks of what they’ve done already, what it might lead to, and all of it nearly makes his brain explode. Instead of saying anything, he blushes and ducks his head, Kurt’s eyes on him suddenly feeling like too much.

“Yeah, _oh_ ,” Kurt says quietly, and Blaine looks back to him slowly. “I don’t…” Kurt takes a deep breath and pauses, his forehead scrunching with a frown. “I don’t know a lot,” he adds and his cheeks tint with a blush. “But I don’t want us to just go along with what feels right, because we might have different ideas of that.”

“I trust you,” Blaine whispers.

“I know you do, sweetheart,” Kurt says softly. “But it’s not fair on either of us to make the decisions one-sided. It’s about what you want and don’t want as much as it’s about me.”

“Okay,” Blaine nods. “Not now, though. Not with my parents in the house. I mean, it’s not like they’re going to walk in without a warning, but it’s…” He lets his voice fade out, unsure of how to describe the mixture of awkwardness and embarrassment.

Kurt nods and smiles, then tilts Blaine’s face up a little and leans in for a gentle kiss. Neither of them deepens it, Blaine content with the soft press of Kurt’s lips against his own and with the reassurance it gives him.

“We should change,” he says when Kurt pulls away again. “But your jeans are still,” Blaine waves in the direction of where they’ve left their clothes.

“I _should_ be okay in these,” Kurt points to the pants he’s wearing. “I’ll survive until I get home,” he smirks. “Even if your brother isn’t as fashionable as I’d appreciate.”

“Oh, he is now,” Blaine rolls his eyes with a fond exasperation. “Ever since he’s become Mr. Hollywood.”

Kurt chuckles, but then his face turns serious again.

“That makes me wonder, though,” he says, and Blaine’s immediately on alert. “Do you want to stay with your parents tonight?” Kurt asks.

The question throws Blaine a little, because he assumed they’d have dinner, and then he’d go to stay with Kurt, like they arranged before. But Kurt’s question makes him think, makes him wonder if Kurt is asking because he thinks Blaine should stay, if the offer was only there because Kurt didn’t want to leave his soulmate alone.

_Honesty_ , Blaine reminds himself. _Don’t assume anything, ask._

He takes a deep breath and tries to steel himself for all possible answers, especially ones that he knows will feel more like rejection than others.

“Do you want me to stay here?” he finally blurts out, and then watches Kurt’s eyes widen in surprise.

“No, _God, no_ ,” Kurt immediately answers. “I thought you might want to.”

Blaine considers the option of staying at home, in his room. His mind flashes back to the first night after they bonded, and while he remembers how much his mind was spinning about that, he also feels a tug of panic. Staying in his room, with Kurt on the other side of town, makes him anxious. Being away from his Dom rises his anxiety in a way that it didn’t the first night.

“I’d rather stay with you, sir,” he whispers, the last words falling out of his mouth automatically.

“Okay,” Kurt nods and brushes a hand over Blaine’s cheek. “Dad will be fine with you staying, but I would prefer having your parents’ agreement, so go get changed and we’ll go talk to them. The pizza should be here any minute anyway.”

Blaine nods wordlessly and with reluctance lets go of Kurt’s hand. He doesn’t dwell on his clothes matching for once, just walks over to the closet, pulls the closest pair of jeans from the shelf, and almost starts changing right there before he remembers that Kurt is in the room. When Blaine turns around with a sheepish and apologetic expression, his hands tucked in the waistband of the too-long sweatpants, he finds Kurt’s eyes glued on him, cheeks tinted pink.

“I’ll be right back,” Blaine says with a smirk.

Once he’s in the bathroom and begins changing, he falls into a slight haze, his mind stuck on how it felt to have Kurt’s eyes on him. He wonders if that’s another thing they need to talk about, but by the time he’s in his jeans, Blaine still hasn’t come up with a word to describe the feeling. There was a little bit of being embarrassed and shy, because he’s not used to anyone seeing him without his usual armor of clothes. But he definitely felt a spark of _wanting_ to be seen, as long as it was Kurt watching him. Blaine decides to file that information for later and rushes back to his bedroom.

“Okay, ready to face the inquisition again?” he asks Kurt. He’s trying to keep his voice light, but he cringes at the shakiness of it, his mind still spinning a little.

“Let’s hope for not that much of it,” Kurt answers with a smile and reaches out his hand.

Blaine links their fingers together eagerly and leads the way out of the room and downstairs, talking himself out of the slight bit of panic that’s simmering under the surface. He hopes his parents got the teasing and embarrassing out of their system, but since he knows they’re also _Cooper’s_ parents, it’s not something he’s counting on. To his relief, when he reaches the living room, it’s only his Mom who’s sitting on the couch.

“Blaine, I’m sorry,” she says with an apologetic expression. “We shouldn’t have teased you earlier.”

“It’s okay, Mom,” Blaine says and settles on the couch next to her. “I’d appreciate if you didn’t scare Kurt off, though.”

“That was definitely not our plan.” She smiles in Kurt’s direction, and Blaine follows her gaze when he feels the body heat radiating off his Dom as he sits down by Blaine’s side. “I told your Dad to keep it down, but I can’t promise miracles. It _is_ where Cooper gets it from.”

“Sure, claim innocence, Mom,” Blaine laughs.

“I’m appalled that you’d think of me that way,” she protests weakly, the smile on her face giving away that she’s not really offended.

Blaine can smell the pizza before he can hear and see his Dad walk into the living room with boxes in his hand and a pile of paper plates on top of them.

“Now, we’re not normally savages like this,” he nods towards the cargo in his arms. “I figured we’d be better off here; it’s more comfortable.”

For a moment, Blaine just stares at his Dad in disbelief, but then he shakes his head and decides not to dwell on it. His Dad is right, the couches are nicer than the strict-looking dining room table, and Blaine will take whatever he can get when it comes to a relaxed atmosphere.

“Dad, can I ask something?” Blaine blurts out before the pizza boxes are even open.

“You just did,” his Dad laughs. “But sure, go ahead,” he adds when his wife pokes his side.

“Before you came back,” Blaine starts, then squeezes Kurt’s hand to anchor himself. “Because we’re not required to go to school until I’ve had at least _some_ lessons, I was planning on staying at Kurt’s,” he says quickly, not letting himself pause so he can get it all out. “And I was wondering if it was okay with you if I stay there…” he pauses then, and takes a breath. “Until at least Cooper comes back and we start with the tutoring.”

Silence fills the room, and Blaine is sure that if he takes a breath, it will sound like a thunderstorm. There is no way he can get through the meal, though, not if he keeps wondering if he needs to brace himself for a night away from Kurt. Next to him, Kurt seems to tense just as much as Blaine feels. A warm palm comes to rest on Blaine’s side, and he feels Kurt’s fingers digging into the skin there, but Blaine tries to not let it show how much the touch is both calming and exciting.

“Of course it’s okay,” Blaine’s Mom says quickly, then glances to her husband with a stern look.

Blaine barely notices it, because the moment those words register, his jaw drops and his mind spins.

“We would appreciate,” his Dad adds, keeping his eyes on Blaine’s Mom, “if we could get to talk to Kurt’s father, though, just to make sure it’s fine with him.”

“It is, I’m sure,” Kurt joins in and squeezes Blaine’s hand.

“Just because he said so before, when Blaine’s other option was to be alone, it doesn’t mean he’ll agree now,” Blaine’s Dad turns to Kurt. “And we should talk to him anyway, just to get to know each other.”

“Dad,” Blaine says with a warning tone in his voice, because his mind goes back to the teasing.

“Oh, don’t worry, I am capable of a serious conversation,” Blaine’s Dad laughs.

“We’ll eat and then we can call Kurt’s father, if that’s convenient?” Blaine’s Mom asks and looks to Kurt.

Blaine can’t hear Kurt answer, so he turns and looks to his soulmate, who is nodding in agreement. It didn’t cross Blaine’s mind that there was a chance that Burt wouldn’t want to have Blaine stay over now that the house is no longer empty. He hopes that they’ll all come to an agreement, one that will hopefully involve Kurt and him _not_ being separated.

“Tuck in, boys,” Blaine can hear his Mom say, and he reluctantly looks away from Kurt and to the coffee table where the pizza boxes are spread out.

When he goes to reach for a slice, Blaine realizes that he has to let Kurt’s hand go. He almost lets out a grumble when their hands part, but then he leans back against Kurt’s chest. The closeness is just what he needs, Blaine thinks as he takes the first bite.


	30. Recovery Time

The dinner is followed by a shockingly short phone call to Burt’s work, which Blaine’s Dad insists on making even though Kurt offers to ease his own Dad into that conversation. The offer proves to be unnecessary, because seconds into the call Blaine can see his Dad’s face scrunch in amusement. Kurt’s hand is linked with Blaine’s again and they look to each other, the panicky expression in Kurt’s face mirroring how Blaine feels.

“They seem to be getting along fine,” Blaine’s Mom remarks when she returns from the kitchen, her hands free of the leftovers that she was putting away.

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of,” Blaine grumbles and sees Kurt nod in agreement.

It turns out that Kurt was right, and Burt is perfectly fine with Blaine staying at the Hummels’ house until Cooper gets into town. Blaine barely listens when his parents attempt to talk to him, his mind already halfway up the stairs and cataloguing what else he needs to pack and bring along. He’s eager to get going, because there’s a nagging doubt at the back of his mind that his parents don’t mean it and that they’re going to stop him from heading out.

“Blaine!” Kurt yelps when Blaine pulls him along towards the bedroom again.

“Sorry, sorry,” Blaine immediately apologizes and stops at the bottom of the stairs. “I just want to … I need to finish packing.”

“Sweetheart, breathe,” Kurt smiles. “They’re not going to change their mind. We’re going to be at my house, which might not be that amazing seeing as _my_ Dad will be there.”

“That’s one less parent than here,” Blaine mumbles.

“I don’t want them to think I’m rude, though,” Kurt sighs. “Running out like that wasn’t nice.”

“I’m sorry,” Blaine blushes and ducks his head. “I just… I want to…”

He looks up to Kurt and tries to convey his thoughts, even though they’re scrambled and chaotic.

“Hey,” Kurt says with a smile, then brings his hands out of the hold that Blaine has on them and cups Blaine’s face. “Breathe, sweetheart. Breathe in and relax.”

The words wash over Blaine and he closes his eyes, then takes a deep breath that still feels a little shaky. His lips part as he lets the air out again and along with it comes a more content hum.

“Good boy,” Kurt whispers and Blaine feels a thumb running over his bottom lip. “There’s no reason to panic, sweetheart. Now, you’re going to keep breathing, then you’ll open your eyes and we’ll go up to your room to finish packing. Once we’re done, we’ll go apologize to your parents for running out, okay?”

Blaine opens his eyes wide and suddenly feels the guilt rising in his mind. He tugs at his bottom lip with his teeth and tries to look down sheepishly, but Kurt’s hold on Blaine’s face is just firm enough to not let Blaine duck his head.

“Hey, don’t worry, I’m sure they understand,” Kurt smiles softly. “But I _do_ want to leave here with a good impression, so we won’t just sneak out of the front door without saying good-bye.”

“Okay,” Blaine whispers back and manages a smile, though his nerves are still tense. “There’s barely anything left to pack, I think,” he adds and brings a hand up to Kurt’s.

“Good,” Kurt’s smile widens. “The sooner we’re ready, the more time we’ll have before Dad gets back home.”

A shiver runs down Blaine’s spine when the words leave Kurt’s mouth, and he can’t stop the blush darkening his cheeks.

“Though, we will need to at least talk about the contract,” Kurt adds and Blaine’s face falls.

“Okay,” he whispers with a tremble in his voice.

“I’m not…” Kurt gulps, but keeps his eyes steadily on Blaine’s face. “I’m not sure how well I can talk about things I don’t know, but I’d be more comfortable knowing if there’s anything either of us doesn’t want to even consider. And if there’s something you or I find… appealing.”

“You,” Blaine blurts out without thinking. “I find _you_ appealing.”

Kurt chuckles and blushes at Blaine’s confession, then clears his throat before he speaks again.

“I don’t think I’ll be listed in the standard contract, sweetheart,” he says with amusement ringing through the words. “Now, let’s get all this over and done with, and I think tonight might be cheesy romance movie night.”

“That sounds good,” Blaine nods.

The moment Kurt’s hands leave his face, he feels the loss, so he reaches for Kurt’s hand to link their fingers, craving the touch to anchor him. He still doesn’t understand how he feels so lost without Kurt’s presence, how even the thought -- briefly flashing through his mind -- puts him on edge. Instead of letting himself dwell on it, but telling himself he’ll try to talk to _someone_ about it soon, Blaine turns to the stairs and begins heading back to his room.

They pack the rest of Blaine’s things quickly, since most of it was already done before his parents appeared. Blaine takes a deep breath before he grabs the duffel bag filled to the brim with clothes, and holds his free hand out to Kurt.

“Time to face the inquisition again?” He asks with an uneasy smile and barely meets Kurt’s eyes.

“How much time are you planning to give them to question us?” Kurt laughs.

“None, preferably,” Blaine grumbles. “You’re the one who’s insisting on being _proper_.”

“Well, I _am_ a prep school kid, remember?” Kurt steps closer. “Gotta know when to say _please_ and _thank you_ and when to be patient and nice.”

Blaine tries to not let it show how much Kurt’s words and closeness affect him, but he can’t hold back the little shiver that runs down his body. He glances toward Kurt with wide eyes and tries to find some words, but his mind has gone completely blank save for thoughts he _really_ doesn’t want to dwell on when they’re about to go back downstairs and face his parents.

“Come on, let’s get out of here,” Kurt smirks. “Then you can tell me what’s on your mind.”

There’s no way Blaine can stop the small whimper caused by the thought of talking to Kurt about everything that is currently pushing its way to his mind. When there’s no sign in Kurt’s face that the sound has reached his ears, Blaine lets out a quiet breath of relief and wraps his hand around his soulmate’s then heads out of the door.

They say quick goodbyes to his parents, managing to avoid further teasing and warnings, though Blaine is pretty sure he sees his Dad try and convey _something_ to Kurt. He doesn’t want to dwell on what it is, eager to get away and back to some form of privacy. The urge is strong enough that when they settle in Kurt’s car, Blaine sinks into the seat with an audible exhale. He glances towards Kurt and notices the smirk playing on his Dom’s lips.

“It’s not a long drive,” Kurt remarks into the silence before he flicks the radio on and starts the engine. “Go ahead and pick the music; I want to know what you like listening to.”

Blaine glances at the console and reaches over, then begins switching the radio stations before he settles on one that seems safe enough. It starts playing very well known songs, and after the first one, he sees Kurt throwing him amused glances.

“What, is that the wrong station?” Blaine asks, worry crawling into his mind.

“No, I mean, I told _you_ to pick, so you’d have to tell me if it’s the wrong choice,” Kurt answers, and the smile on his face grows a little.

“It’s not,” Blaine shakes his head. “It’s … I like this station.”

“I wouldn’t have taken you for a Top Forty kind of guy,” Kurt remarks, but with more curiosity than judgment. “It’s my favorite too, but with the image you have, I expected something more… alternative, I guess.”

“There really isn’t much more to the image than … _the image_ ,” Blaine shrugs. “It’s not like I’m hiding piercings or tattoos or a rap sheet a mile long.”

He doesn’t miss the way Kurt’s hands tense around the steering wheel, and he makes a mental note to bring it up at some point later. Blaine has played around with the idea of a tattoo, more intensively when Puck and Quinn came from the last mid-term break with “ironic” ink on their skin. He couldn’t help but wonder if he would end up regretting it, because he couldn’t think of something he’d want on his body permanently.

“Coach Sylvester and Principal Figgins seem to buy into it enough,” Kurt notes quietly.

“That might have something to do with the encounter with Karofsky,” Blaine says and cringes. “And also maybe a little bit with the amount of classes I skipped last year.”

“Oooh, rebellious,” Kurt chuckles. “Too boring for you?”

“Mostly, yeah,” Blaine says with a shrug. “McKinley isn’t really known for being academically challenging.”

“Now that’s one thing I’d almost envy you,” Kurt says and then sighs. “Dalton is a killer on that front. They’re not seen as a prep school for nothing; the classes are rough.”

“Then you’ll fly through those at McKinley,” Blaine smirks. “Maybe I can lead you down the path of delinquency.”

“Maybe,” Kurt winks.

“Though, truth be told, at least half of the skipped classes were to either get Puck out of trouble,” Blaine says, “or they were spent in the nurse’s office holding his hand while he got patched up. He’s a little faster with his fists and a lot more reckless than I am.”

“That I can believe,” Kurt nods. “So the academics aren’t a priority then?”

“Is this twenty questions?” Blaine asks and laughs. “And if it is, am I allowed to ask questions too?”

“You always are,” Kurt says and looks at Blaine when they stop at a red light. “And no, not twenty questions. I’m just curious and it seemed like a good time. I can stop if it bothers you.”

“It doesn’t,” Blaine says. “Bother me, I mean. It doesn’t bother me. And to answer your question, I’ve made up all the missed classes with extra credit assignments. And Coach Beiste has helped out and provided an alibi a few times,” he adds sheepishly.

He’s not proud of those times, but there have been some that earned him a part of the reputation, beyond the image and the one punch that he threw. They were mostly pranks, occasionally gone wrong, but on other occasions gone right but they didn’t manage to stay anonymous. Then there are some he _is_ proud of, like the time Puck and he managed to swap out the teachers’ lounge food for the cafeteria one, that the school never found the culprits for. But he has no intention of confessing those things to Kurt at the moment, so he bites his lip and pointedly looks out of the window.

“That does mean that you needed an alibi,” Kurt chuckles. “Which makes me wonder if those were for the times Puck needed a savior or if there _is_ a little bit of a rebel, with or without a cause, underneath the leather jacket.”

“A little, maybe,” Blaine blurts before he can stop himself, then quickly adds, “but always _with_ a cause. It’s been trying to stop Puck from getting suspended at the very least half of the time. There were _some_ things, though, that we’ve done to bring attention to how they didn’t work.”

“Like what?”

The curiosity in Kurt’s voice is clear, and Blaine laughs. It takes him a few seconds, but then he decides that the cafeteria story is one that isn’t going to get him into trouble.

“I can tell you something, but,” he looks at Kurt, trying to convey that he is serious, “you can’t tell anyone. This is one of those that we got away with. And it brought tater tots back to the school, so it had some results.”

“Can you manage to tell me before we get to my house?” Kurt asks, but he keeps his eyes on the road.

“I can,” Blaine nods.

“Then fire away. I’m not going to tattle on you _or_ on Puck,” Kurt promises.

Blaine lifts an eyebrow, but then launches into the explanation, embellishing the story with his own commentary on seemingly insignificant details. It’s worth exaggerating a little, he decides, because those additions are things that Kurt laughs at, the sound clear and carefree and already one of Blaine’s favorites.


	31. Opening Up

At the Hummels’ house, Blaine almost immediately settles on the floor by the couch, after Kurt suggests they stay in the living room while they talk. He feels Kurt’s eyes on him, and when he looks to his soulmate, Kurt’s eyes are narrowed a little, but more with curiosity than disapproval.

“Are you sure?” Kurt asks quietly when he sits down.

Blaine leans against Kurt’s leg and nods, then turns so he can rest his chin on Kurt’s knee.

“Both of us need to have a clear mind for this, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers as he strokes a finger over Blaine’s cheek. “Is this a good way to do that?”

“I’ll be fine, sir,” Blaine mutters. “I… it’s easier to tell you things this way.”

“Okay,” Kurt smiles and leans down to kiss Blaine’s forehead. “Before we go looking for lists of anything…”

Blaine shivers a little, and Kurt immediately stops and his eyes narrow again, this time with a panicky expression in his face.

“I’m okay,” Blaine says firmly.

He lifts his hands and rests them on top of Kurt’s leg, but he doesn’t say anything else. Instead, he waits for Kurt to continue, but the thought of lists and _possibilities_ is still swirling in his mind. It’s not frightening, though;  it’s exciting to think about.

“Is there anything that you can think of that you _definitely_ not want to happen?” Kurt asks after a pause.

“I don’t…” Blaine starts, but Kurt brings a finger to his lips before he can finish.

“Think about it, sweetheart,” Kurt says. “Don’t just say you can’t think of anything, or that you don’t know. Take your time, okay? If there’s anything that you think might scare you, or hurt you, I need to know.”

“You’re not planning on torture or something like that, are you?” Blaine’s eyes widen.

“Definitely _not_ ,” Kurt shakes his head. “Let’s back up for a second,” he adds and frowns. “What do you know about limits?”

“That they exist,” Blaine shrugs. “Oh and, I heard Puck and Quinn discussing soft and hard ones… well, at least I hope it’s _limits_ they were discussing,” he shudders.

Kurt makes a horrified face but then chuckles.

“The thought of Puck can’t be that traumatizing,” Kurt says with a laugh.

“Let’s not…” Blaine says, looking like he’s bitten into a lemon.

“Fine, fine, we’re not going to go there,” Kurt’s laugh fades out. “Back to the limits. That’s the part we need to discuss most; the rest of it should be covered with what we already signed.”

“We didn’t…” Blaine gulps and his fingers grip tighter around Kurt’s thigh. “We didn’t talk about… punishments,” he whispers the last word, blurting it out so fast that he isn’t sure that Kurt could hear it.

Kurt’s eyebrow lifts, though, so Blaine lets out a breath of relief, because he’s not sure he’d be able to repeat that line.

“I wasn’t planning on strict rules,” Kurt says gently, then puts his hand on Blaine’s cheek again to stop him from looking away. “It’s a good idea to talk about that, too. Thank you.”

The words feel like praise to Blaine, and it makes him settle again and revel in Kurt’s approval. It’s a little thing, he knows that, but it is something that he’s almost craving already.

“But back to the limits first,” Kurt says. “Do you know about the difference between them?”

“Yeah, I think so,” Blaine nods. “Is it things we’re willing to try and then things we don’t?”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Kurt says with a smile. “There are hard limits, which is a list of things you or I have enough of a problem with that they’re _never_ going to be brought into play,” he starts explaining, his eyes on Blaine’s face. “Then soft limits,” Kurt pauses. “They’re things we’re either not sure about, or things that we need to… build up to, I guess.”

“Can you maybe think of an example? I think I understand, but I want to be sure,” Blaine says, calmer now thanks to Kurt’s reassuring tone.

“I’ll try,” Kurt smiles. “But since my experience is non-existent…”

“...which is about where mine is,” Blaine adds when Kurt’s voice fades. “I think we’ll both learn as we go, a lot. Maybe we should make sure the contract and lists have a note to say that changes are negotiable in the future?”

“Yes, definitely,” Kurt says with a nod. “The basic one already has that, we’ll just note it in everything else, too.”

“So, the example…?” Blaine asks.

A little hesitation seeps into his voice, because he doesn’t want to sound too demanding or pushy. The worry is gone when Kurt smiles and blushes before he answers.

“Hard limit for me would be, let’s say, blood,” Kurt says and shudders, echoing Blaine’s reaction to the word. “It’s a _no_ for me, for multiple reasons.”

“I’m… good with that,” Blaine shudders again at the thought.

“But a soft limit, as in, something I might not be willing to just jump into, but don’t want to say never to…” Kurt says quietly, his face bright red. “I’d like to try a blindfold at some point.”

“Isn’t that something that _I_ should be considering?” Blaine asks, genuinely surprised that Kurt would consider something like that.

“No, sweetheart,” Kurt smiles. “Just because we have our designations, it doesn’t mean that you’re the one who will be deprived of things like sight, touch or… _orgasms_.”

The word immediately sends Blaine’s thoughts to the morning, reminding him of their make out session in his room. He’s suddenly more aware of the fact that while he helped Kurt find his release then, Blaine himself didn’t get to come. Didn’t _want_ to, at the time. But with the talk now, he’s suddenly becoming more aware of how arousing some of his thoughts are. Leaning against Kurt, touching him even through the rough fabric of the jeans, is not helping Blaine calm down much either.

“Oh,” he breathes out, imagining Kurt with a blindfold, and despite the lack of real life experience, Blaine’s mind buzzes with all the ways he could work with that.

He feels heat flood his cheeks when ideas of how he could make Kurt feel _more_ , how the other senses would likely be enhanced if one was restricted or taken away. Blaine thinks of how Kurt looked when he was falling apart earlier and suddenly, he’s overwhelmed with more _want_ than he ever felt before.

“Would you want that too, sweetheart?” Kurt asks quietly, his hand solid against Blaine’s cheek.

Blaine’s mind spins, the two images clashing in his mind when his eyes close without any effort. Images of Kurt letting himself go under Blaine’s hands and lips mix with thoughts of not seeing anything but only feeling the touch of Kurt’s hands.

“Y-yes please,” Blaine finally answers.

When he opens his eyes reluctantly, his thoughts having been interrupted by his own voice, he sees Kurt looking at him with an impish grin.

“See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Kurt asks. “This is what we need to do, though maybe not losing ourselves in imagination so much.”

Blaine blushes at the comment, because he realizes that it was way too obvious to Kurt where Blaine’s mind has wandered off. He nods and loosens his fingers when it hits him just how tightly they are wrapped around Kurt’s leg.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers and blushes, then tries to duck his head, but Kurt’s hand stops him

“None of that,” Kurt says without a trace of anger or disappointment that Blaine is expecting. “We’re both bound to get distracted a little. But that’s why I asked if this,” he nods towards where Blaine is curled up on the floor next to the couch, “is the best way to be. You might find it easier to stay alert if you’re not…”

“...in a position that already encourages my submissive instinct?” Blaine finishes when Kurt pauses.

“Yes,” Kurt nods. “This is not the best time to discuss limits, I know. But it’s _because_ of the situation that we really should. The other option is to not do anything until after your classes and…”

“ _No_ ,” Blaine interrupts and immediately cringes at his reaction.

He can’t help it, though, panic rises in his mind as fast as it does in the rest of his body. The idea of feeling so much need for Kurt’s commands, for Kurt to guide him, is a little frightening, but not as much as the thought of not having that guidance and not having Kurt act as a Dominant.

“I’m sorry, sir,” he whispers sheepishly and this time ducks his head despite Kurt’s hand trying to keep it in place. “I can’t… I don’t…”

“Hey, sweetheart, I wasn’t planning to just leave you be,” Kurt says quietly and Blaine looks up again. “It would be very irresponsible of me. But I can’t just follow instincts and not know what you’re okay with and what’s off limits. I mean, with what either of us has actually done before, it’s unlikely that we’ll hit hard limits, or even soft ones for now, but I’d feel safer if both of us had an idea at least.”

“Oh, I have ideas,” Blaine mutters, trying to keep his voice low.

“Care to share some of those?” Kurt asks with only the slightest hint of hesitation in his voice.

“Maybe… not yet?” Blaine blurts out as a question instead of an answer. “I don’t _really_ know what they are; it’s nothing specific or stuff I can describe well or…” he rambles, and a feeling of slight panic rises in his chest.

He does have ideas, some spurred on by Kurt’s blindfold suggestion, some from his own imagination, and a few inspired by earlier in the day. But Blaine doesn’t know if he can say them out loud; the mere idea of speaking really openly about _sex_ is still scary.

“It’s okay, Blaine,” Kurt responds, his voice soft and his lips turned up in a smile. “We’ll get to that, I’m sure. I don’t know how I would tell you what crossed my mind either.”

“Oh,” Blaine breathes out the word in surprise.

He was so busy panicking over how to tell Kurt what he was fantasizing about that he didn’t think that _Kurt_ may have some ideas himself. _Of course he does_ , Blaine thinks, _he’s probably talked about some stuff in his classes_.

“So, here’s what I’m thinking now,” Kurt says and drops his hand from Blaine’s cheek, resting it on top of Blaine’s hands instead. “As much as I tried to _not_ listen to Dad’s speech about contracts and sex and all the suggestions when I first told him I bonded,” he shudders, and Blaine wonders just how awkward that conversation must have been, “I did pay attention a little.”

Kurt pauses and shakes his head, like he’s trying to get rid of an unpleasant thought. Blaine imagines for a moment how it would feel to be getting _the talk_ from his Mom and Dad, and he cringes in sympathy. He knows already that while he’s close to his parents, it doesn’t come close to the relationship Kurt has with Burt. It’s something Blaine kind of wishes he had too, except for situations like this one.

“Did he say anything that we should consider?” Blaine asks when Kurt remains silent.

“Plenty, yes,” Kurt cringes again, but then takes a deep breath and continues. “He did say that there is a website that has the official templates for contracts and limit lists. It’s the one that has the basic contract that we signed.”

“Do you want us to find a different contract?” Blaine asks, worry ringing through his voice.

“No,” Kurt shakes his head. “I think we’re okay with the one we have right now. But the limit lists that are already compiled would make it easier for us to know the options.”

“And set the lines,” Blaine nods. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”

He’s sounding a little more sure than he feels, and when Kurt gets off the couch to get his laptop, Blaine sags against the cushion and wonders how he’ll make it through.


	32. Defining Lines

"Okay, first things first," Kurt says in a matter-of-fact tone as he begins to pull away from Blaine. "Is there anything you think we should change about the contract itself?"

Blaine fights off the whimper that threatens to escape from his mouth at the loss of contact when Kurt gets off the couch. Then his mind thinks back on the basic contract they signed, and tries to recall details.

"I think that had everything we needed," he says, his eyebrows scrunched in a frown. "I mean, we didn't have anything detailed on … _that part_ …"

His cheeks heat up, and he hopes Kurt will understand what he's referring to, because it's still not something Blaine can just talk about easily. Or, he realizes, it's not that _sex_ is an uncomfortable topic in general; he has internet access and Puck for a friend after all. But with Kurt, with his soulmate, it all means so much more that Blaine feels like it's a huge deal to even just talk about it. When he thinks about them _doing_ anything intimate, the way his mind spins is what he thinks a panic attack might feel like.

"Should I find it and we'll read it over?" Kurt asks, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, maybe," Blaine answers noncommittally.

"I'll be right back," Kurt smiles, and then leans down to brush his lips over Blaine's forehead. "I'll bring my laptop too," he says quietly.

Blaine is left alone then, his mind buzzing with thoughts and a weak thrumming of want that has been tugging on the edges of his consciousness from the start of the conversation. He can't stop the images that Kurt's words brought up, the blindfold and the possibilities that the scenario makes him think of. His cock twitches at the ideas, reminding Blaine that he's been trying to ignore it since they got to Kurt's house. While he waits for Kurt to come back, Blaine drifts off into a haze, his urge to do something about being turned on only held at bay by the thought that Kurt didn't say Blaine could.

"Hi again," Kurt's voice makes Blaine startle. "Did your mind wander off somewhere nice?"

"I… uh…" Blaine mutters and blushes.

"Oh," Kurt says and his eyes widen, but then he walks to the couch and smiles. "We'll get to that in a little while, sweetheart," he adds as he sits down next to Blaine again.

Blaine looks at the folder that's on top of the laptop that Kurt puts down on the coffee table. He knows the contract must be in there, and the anxiety kicks in again.

"How about we read over the contract quick and see if we need to change it around?" Kurt asks and pulls the papers out.

"Yeah, sure," Blaine nods and shrugs his shoulders.

"Come sit by me, sweetheart," Kurt offers and pats the space by his side.

Blaine moves reluctantly, but when he settles on the couch next to Kurt, he finds that the contact between their bodies gives him as much reassurance as kneeling on the floor did. He lets out a relieved breath and then shivers when Kurt leans against him a little. Then the papers are there and Blaine tries to focus as Kurt mumbles the words, the formalities of the contract, the official language. It's monotone, and Blaine finds himself distracted by the warmth radiating off of Kurt's skin, through the layers of fabric.

"There's nothing here that I want to change," Kurt says once he reaches the end of the text. "Though, there is one thing I would like to do," he adds and shifts to look at Blaine.

"What is it?" Blaine asks after shaking his head to stop the fog that's taking his mind over.

"I'd like to add a promise," Kurt whispers and reaches out to put his hand over Blaine's.

Kurt's thumb comes to a rest on Blaine's palm, and Kurt strokes over the warm and soft skin. Blaine looks up to his soulmate so that the touch doesn't distract him again, because he wants to listen properly.

"I promise to be there for you in all the ways you need me to," Kurt whispers, his eyes locked on Blaine's. "I promise to listen and try and anticipate your wants and needs, I promise to respect you and your limits," Kurt says, his voice shaky a little bit, but sincere. "I promise to take care of you and make you as happy as I possibly can."

Blaine's mouth opens and his eyes are wide open as he listens. His breathing hitches, because he didn't expect a promise like that, let alone the way Kurt's words and intentions seem to focus entirely on Blaine. It shatters all doubts he has left about what being a submissive might mean, all his fears about how Kurt might view their designations. He feels cherished just listening to the words, reassured and most of all, respected, which is something he didn't dare to hope for.

"Thank you," Blaine finally whispers, then he takes a deep breath. "Can I add something for myself?"

The question comes out before he can think about it too much, but he knows he wants to have an equal part in this.

"Of course, sweetheart," Kurt says with a smile.

"I promise to respect you," Blaine begins without thinking. "I promise to follow your orders and trust you with decisions. I promise to be honest and respect your limits as much as you respect mine. I promise to do all I can to make you happy, and to do everything I can to be someone who deserves you," he says and ducks his head then, the heat in his cheeks making his skin tingle.

"Sweetheart," Kurt says gently, and Blaine lifts his head when Kurt's fingers touch his chin. "I don't want you to be anyone but yourself," he tells Blaine and then leans in for a kiss.

"Thank you," Blaine whispers when their lips part.

"There's nothing to thank me for, Blaine," Kurt says and shakes his head. "I haven't promised anything that shouldn't be the norm."

"But I know it's not," Blaine says with a shrug. "I'm so glad it's you," he whispers.

Instead of saying anything, Kurt brushes his lips against Blaine's cheek and smiles. Then he turns to the coffee table and pulls the laptop closer, opens it and presses the power button. While it's booting up, Kurt looks to Blaine.

"Do you want to write these down in the contract?"

Blaine thinks it over, but then realizes that he doesn't _need_ to have the promises on paper.

"Not really," he answers. "I mean, if you want to, I don't mind, but there's no way I'll forget," Blaine adds quickly. "It feels a little more personal to just have them spoken."

"I agree," Kurt nods. "Thank you."

He then turns to the laptop and pulls his hand away from Blaine's but shifts the rest of his body so their sides are still touching. Blaine watches as Kurt clicks his way through to the website with contracts, and his eyes widen at the sheer amount of options for soulmate bonds.

"Oh god," he breathes out when his eyes scan over the varieties. "That's … a lot of possibilities."

"Yeah," Kurt whispers, seeming just as overwhelmed as Blaine is. "Oh wait, look, there's one that's marked as introductory," he says and clicks to pull up the list that has the word _beginner_ in it. "This seems a little less scary than, I imagine, a lot of the others would be," Kurt adds and scrolls through it quickly.  "There's an intro about learning everything together," he whispers.

"Tha-that sounds good," Blaine stutters and leans forward so he can read what's on the screen.

"I'll print it," Kurt says a little more calmly than he was a moment ago. "And then we can go through the options."

"Okay," Blaine nods, eyes still glued to the screen.

It barely takes a few minutes before Kurt slips away again and rushes to the printer on the other side of the living room, then comes back with surprisingly few papers. Blaine can't help but be relieved at the length of the list, because it means he won't need to think too hard about what he doesn't _know_. Kurt hands him one copy, and Blaine immediately dives into reading.

 _Play limits - introductory list for soulmate bonds with inexperienced partners. In underage bonds, or bonds with a lack of sexual experience, it is encouraged that pairs proceed slowly, as rushed intimacy can trigger strong dominant or submissive instincts. Dominants in these bonds are strongly advised to be cautious and not initiate or force scenes without discussing them with their submissive. Limits can be adjusted with time and gained experience. This basic list covers all initially required limits, omitting more specific play elements. It can be expanded on with additional lists -- see website for more information_.

Blaine breathes out when he finishes reading and looks at Kurt, whose lips are turned up in a smile, though his eyes tell Blaine that he's not the only one equally relieved and overwhelmed by the list.

"This looks like exactly what we need," Kurt says and points to the list. "We should… start with reading through the list by ourselves, I guess."

Blaine nods with a little reluctance, but he's already skimming through the words below the introductory paragraph. There are some that he doesn't quite understand, and others he does but that make him cringe. But his eyes lock on words he recognizes and words that immediately make him pay attention, his mind _and_ body more than a little interested. He sees a list of exploratory possibilities, some of the touching they have already done, which he almost immediately wants to mark with a _yes_ in the "willing to explore" column. Then his eyes pause on the word "blindfold" and his mind gets overtaken by images from earlier, when Kurt brought it up.

"Sir?" Blaine whispers when he feels that his voice isn't shaking quite as much. "Would you mind if I … marked some of these already?"

Kurt startles when Blaine speaks and then shakes his head and hands Blaine a pencil off the coffee table. Blaine notices the tint on Kurt's cheeks and the way Kurt is biting down on his bottom lip. It adds to the way the list and its contents make Blaine intrigued more than scared like he expected.

"Maybe I'll do the same," Kurt says after a while, when Blaine has already turned back to the list. "Then we can compare."

Blaine takes a deep breath, but he doesn't dare look back to Kurt, because his mind is swirling with ideas again. He's afraid he'd either blurt out something entirely inappropriate, or that he won't be able to resist wanting to kiss Kurt and forget all about the limits.

He refocuses his eyes on the list and marks the _willing to explore_ by the blindfold option. Then he skips to a line mentioning blood and marks a strong no in what he's dubbed the " _no fucking way_ " choice, though the official header is "hard limit". He marks a " _like a lot_ " by several touches options, including one that mentions hair tugging, which makes his cheeks heat up and his cock twitch in interest. Then his eyes linger on a line that brings him back to the scene at his house, and the slight tension that's bubbling under the surface of his skin. It's not unpleasant, Blaine knows that, but it's there and a little stronger when the words " _orgasm control_ " on the list bring it to the forefront of his mind. He only hesitates for a moment before he marks " _like a lot_ " in the appropriate box.

The list, despite being basic, is still quite long, but Blaine becomes more aware of just how important it is when he sees some of the options, things that he is pretty sure he's never going to want to get into. He doesn't mark off all of them in order, but eventually each of the items on the list has an answer, and he looks up. Kurt is looking back, his own list filled with checkmarks and obviously filled out just as thoroughly as Blaine's.

"So," Blaine starts and glances to his list, his cheeks heating up again. "What now?"

"If it's okay with you, we can swap and then we can compare?" Kurt asks and Blaine yet again marvels at how much his Dom is sharing the decision power, even on small things like this.

"Yeah, that would work," Blaine nods and hands the papers in his hand to Kurt.

The list that he takes out of Kurt's hand is only as long as his own was, but somehow it seems to weigh a lot more when the implications his Blaine's mind.

 _This is it_ , he thinks before he turns his eyes to the words on the paper.


	33. Exchange Surprises

When Blaine starts reading through the list that Kurt handed him, he still has his own answers fresh in mind, accompanied by the inevitable curiosity. It’s more than just him wondering what they agree or disagree on; he’s still imagining the ones that his mind yelled a resounding “ _yes, please, want_ ” at. The things that had him turned on and squirming on the couch a little. It’s when his brain starts processing Kurt’s answers and not just the options on the list that he feels the tug inside him.

The first _willing to try_ that he registers is not at the top of the list, but it’s one that he’s been thinking of the whole day. _Orgasm denial_ pulls his attention, and he finds the affirmation in the “submissive” column, the one he expected because of earlier in the day. What makes his breathing hitch and his heart beat faster is the answer in the “Dominant” column. As he expected, the experience box is at zero, like his own, but he has to blink a few times to reassure himself that Kurt really did fill a “interested in” in the next box.

Suddenly, Blaine’s mind is buzzing with what that might mean. The thought of Kurt not letting go, not letting himself fall over the edge but staying there for a prolonged amount of time, hard but not giving in to the urge to come, is something that makes Blaine clench his eyes closed to ward off his own arousal.

“You’re thinking really loudly, sweetheart,” Kurt says and snaps Blaine out of his thoughts.

“I’m sorry,” Blaine whispers.

“Don’t be,” Kurt says and reaches out to put his hand over Blaine’s.

The move makes Blaine realize that his hands are trembling. Both the one that’s holding Kurt’s checklist and the one that is resting on his knee. Kurt’s touch barely lessens the shivers, but it makes Blaine turn to his Dom with eyes wide open.

“Maybe you should tell me what it is that got you thinking so hard?” Kurt asks and smiles.

Instead of speaking, Blaine puts the checklist on his knees to free his hand without needing to pull away from Kurt’s touch. He points to the item on the list with a shaky motion, shifting his gaze from Kurt to the words.

“Oh,” he hears Kurt say quietly, but Blaine keeps his eyes down on the paper, knowing that his face is turning bright red by the second.

There’s a moment of silence, and Blaine keeps waiting for it to feel awkward and uncomfortable, but it never turns into that. Instead, Kurt’s thumb begins rubbing over the side of Blaine’s hand, intensifying the trembling that Blaine feels across his whole body.

“It kind of goes with this,” Kurt finally says, lets go of Blaine’s hand and points to the list.

Blaine’s eyes follow Kurt’s fingers, and this time he can’t stop the sharp inhale when he reads the entry and Kurt’s answer. _Multiple orgasms_. He stares at the two words and then over at the “ _willing to try_ ” in both columns in the same line. They are the same answers he gave on his own list, but it’s one of the items that he worried over, thinking that it might be a little too much. The lists themselves are still very much vanilla, considering the Dominant/submissive dynamic, because they’re made for people like them, with next to no experience.

He can’t deny that the moment he read the words, he immediately thought “ _yes, please_ ” and followed it up with imagining a scenario where he’d be the one held back from an orgasm while trying to give Kurt as many as physically possible. The flipped option barely occurred to him then, but now he’s thinking of that, the intrigue of the possibility more intense than he expected.

“Blaine?” Kurt asks, and Blaine slowly and hesitantly looks up from the paper, his breathing still shaky.

“Yes?”

“Can we…” Kurt says, his eyes meeting Blaine’s, “... can we go to my room?”

Not even a second passes before Blaine nods, barely taking a breath or a moment to think. There’s a prickling under his skin that he knows he wouldn’t be able to explain in words. Kurt does seem to understand and doesn’t insist on Blaine saying his answer out loud. Instead, he gets up off the couch and gathers the lists before reaching his hand out to Blaine.

“Let’s go,” Kurt says with a tone a little firmer than the slightly hesitant one from moments earlier.

Blaine follows, almost blindly, his hand slipped into Kurt’s and their fingers linked, letting himself be led towards Kurt’s bedroom, then inside. It’s all a blur until the door closes and the lock clicks, and the sound brings Blaine back into reality again.

“So, uh…” Blaine starts, but his mind isn’t completely there yet, and he pauses.

Kurt steps away from the door and closer to Blaine, close enough that Blaine can feel Kurt’s warm breath on his face. Neither of them says a word, but Blaine tilts his head up and parts his lips a little, in an unspoken plea that Kurt seems to understand. The kiss heats up fast but doesn’t turn forceful as Kurt’s lips begin moving against Blaine’s. When Kurt’s tongue runs over Blaine’s bottom lip, a low moan forms at the back of Blaine’s throat, and he blushes when it echoes around the silent room.

He tries to muffle the sound, though it’s not easy with Kurt’s mouth still on his, but then whimpers when Kurt pulls away.

“No, don’t,” Kurt whispers and smiles sheepishly. “I like hearing you.”

Just the knowledge of that is enough to make Blaine not only blush again but also let out another quiet whimper. The sparks of arousal rush down his body and he has to will himself to stand still. What he wants to do is to step forward, lean into Kurt’s body and get as close as he possibly can. His skin is buzzing; even the slight brush of Kurt’s thumb over his skin is sending sparks through it that make him feel nothing but _want_.

“I like knowing what this does to you,” Kurt continues, his voice deeper than usual and somehow thick and feeling like a promise in Blaine’s ears. “It’s how I know I’m doing this right, sweetheart, even when you don’t use words.”

Blaine moans when Kurt moves his free hand to Blaine’s neck and strokes a finger down the side of it. The movement stops at the edge of the shirt that Blaine suddenly wishes he could magic away.

“ _Please_ ,” he whispers as he closes his eyes, then shifts slightly into the touch.

“Safewords?” Kurt asks and tugs on the edge of Blaine’s shirt.

“Got them,” Blaine breathes out, his eyes still clenched closed as he tries to keep his mind clear.

But he’s failing, because the fog is already taking over his mind and his entire focus is on the spots where Kurt’s hands are touching him. His whole concentration is on how to not move, not do anything that Kurt doesn’t explicitly allow. Blaine’s mind is already miles away and bringing images to the surface that almost make his knees buckle. The only thing stopping him from kneeling in that moment is the pressure of Kurt’s hand on the side of Blaine’s neck and the grip of the fingers around Blaine’s.

“No, sweetheart,” Kurt says and chuckles. “I need you to tell me what they are. And to promise me you’ll use them if you need to.”

“ _Slushee_ ,” Blaine breathes out, the word foreign on his tongue even now, because the last thing he wants is to slow down or stop. “Dalton,” he adds a little less shakily, and he gasps when the answer is rewarded by Kurt leaning in and kissing just below Blaine’s ear.

“Good boy,” Kurt whispers, and Blaine tries to not move towards where he knows Kurt’s lips are.

He can almost feel them touch his skin, but only feels the warmth of Kurt’s breath when his Dom doesn’t move away. Blaine stays still, his free hand clenched in a fist to remind himself to not move, to wait until Kurt tells him what to do. He chants to himself that he can be good, that he can do everything his Dom orders, that he can earn his reward. Even not knowing if there will be a reward, Blaine is convinced that it will be enough to know that Kurt approves.

But then Kurt’s touch is gone without warning, and Blaine’s eyes fly open. He feels his hand chasing Kurt’s when it slips away, a tiny movement forward that shakes him out of his haze. _Kurt didn’t say to move_ , Blaine thinks, but then it hits him that Kurt didn’t say _not_ to move either. He meets his Dom’s eyes and opens his mouth to say something, but he isn’t sure what he wants to ask.

_Come back_ , he thinks but doesn’t dare say.

Kurt is smiling at him and then moves closer again, but this time his hands land on Blaine’s waist. Before Blaine can figure out what’s happening, he’s being guided backwards to where he knows Kurt’s bed is. When his knees hit the edge of it he sways and almost loses his balance, but Kurt’s hands hold him steady.

“Not yet,” Kurt says with amusement in his tone.

Blaine’s eyes fall to the smirk that emerges on Kurt’s lips, and he feels the urge to kiss it away. He’s on the edge already, turned on more than he can ever remember being, even though he realizes that they’ve barely done _anything_ yet. Somehow, though, even Kurt _not_ touching him is making Blaine’s arousal more intense. He doesn’t know if it’s because the lists and their contents are playing on his mind still, or because of the instinct that keeps telling him to submit. A steady chant of _please, sir_ is in the background of his thoughts, but he doesn’t know what he should be asking for.

He barely realizes that Kurt is moving closer again. It’s when there are fingers tugging on the edge of his shirt that Blaine comes back from the swirling thoughts and hears Kurt’s quiet voice.

“Can I take this off?” Kurt asks and tugs on the shirt again.

“Yes please,” Blaine whispers back.

And then the fabric of the shirt is moving up Blaine’s body and brushing against his skin. Kurt’s knuckles drag along Blaine’s skin as he pushes the fabric up until he reaches the point where Blaine needs to lift his arms. Moments later, Blaine is topless, the shirt flung to the other side of the room, and the cool air is hitting his skin.

“Wow,” Kurt breathes out, and Blaine watches and shivers when Kurt’s eyes slide from Blaine’s face across his chest.

It makes him realize that they haven’t seen each other topless yet, despite what they have done so far. Blaine’s body jerks forward, towards Kurt, and his fingers twitch before he opens his mouth.

“Can I… can you… you too?” Blaine asks, his breathing heavy and unsteady.

He watches Kurt nod and then tug his own T-shirt off. The sight is completely mesmerizing for Blaine, though Kurt is not the first shirtless guy he’s seen, thanks to gym class and locker room changes. But seeing his soulmate is different, and Blaine finally doesn’t have it in him to stay still.

“You’re beautiful,” he whispers as he steps towards Kurt and stops just short of putting his hand on the exposed pale skin. “Can I… is it okay if I touch you?”

“Yeah, yeah it is,” Kurt nods and then his hands are on Blaine’s sides just as Blaine’s palm bridges the space necessary to land on Kurt’s chest. “I told you before that I don’t want you to stop yourself from touching,” Kurt adds and tugs Blaine a little closer. “At least unless I tell you not to,” he finishes and then his arms slide around Blaine and meet on his lower back.

There’s no distance between them anymore, and Blaine’s hand is a little squashed between their chests. He can feel his own breathing along with Kurt’s, both shaky and fast.

“Can I kiss you, sir?” Blaine whispers, and he barely waits for Kurt’s answering nod before he leans forward to join their lips. 


	34. Breathing In

Blaine doesn’t know if it’s minutes, only a brief moment, or hours, because he gets completely lost in the kiss and in the sensation of having Kurt’s skin against his own. He can feel Kurt’s fingers digging into the dimples on his lower back and the way Kurt keeps pulling him closer, even though there is no more space between them. When Kurt eventually pulls away from the kiss, Blaine realizes that he was holding his breath for some of it, and the sudden deep inhale he takes throws him off balance.

“Hey,” Kurt whispers and leans in again, but only for a fleeting, chaste, barely there kiss. “Are you okay, sweetheart?”

Blaine nods and wonders why Kurt seems worried, but then he realizes that he looks out of breath and shaky.

“I’m okay,” he says. “You just take my breath away,” he whispers and blushes at the cheesy statement.

“I do need you to breathe,” Kurt says and chuckles a little, and Blaine doesn’t miss the light blush on his Dom’s cheeks. “We’ve barely started, sweetheart.”

The comment makes Blaine’s eyes widen, and his mind falls right back into the images that he’s managed to briefly shake away. He thinks back on the lists that Kurt brought up with him and the possibilities of what’s on them.

“Slow, though,” Kurt mutters. “Here’s what we’re going to do,” he starts and tugs Blaine closer. “I promise not to push any of your limits, or mine, too far. But since both of us marked at least one thing the same way, I want to try,” he whispers and Blaine feels the slightly increased pressure of Kurt’s fingertips on his own back. “I want you to be sure you know your safewords,” Kurt frowns a little, but in a way that seems worried instead of angry.

Blaine frowns too, because Kurt has only just asked for them a few minutes earlier. And they’re not words that Blaine is likely to forget, though he would really rather not have a reason to use them. He wonders for a moment if Kurt is worried more about Blaine hesitating to use them than the ‘knowing them’ part, but he’s not sure how to bring it up.

“Slushee for slowing down, Dalton for a stop,” Blaine whispers when Kurt pauses and lifts an eyebrow. “I remember, I promise,” he adds.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” Kurt smiles and the worrying frown eases. “I need you to use them if anything gets too much,” Kurt says sternly, and Blaine nods. “I’m never going to be angry at you for safewording, okay? I _need_ to know you’re comfortable saying them.”

And there it is, Blaine’s guess about what Kurt’s worry regarding the safewords is gets confirmed in Kurt’s words and the tone of his voice. There’s nothing else that Blaine wants more in that moment than to reassure his Dom. In that moment, it clicks with him that Kurt is just as new to all this as Blaine himself.

“I am, sir,” Blaine says and nods almost frantically, not knowing how else to offer Kurt the reassurance he seems to need.

“Good,” Kurt smiles with obvious relief. “Okay, the one thing I want us to try,” he says after a deep breath that Blaine feels against his chest. “I want to get to know you, sweetheart, thoroughly,” Kurt says, and his voice is low, making Blaine shiver. “But…” he pauses again and Blaine’s breathing almost stops when Kurt leans forward and whispers into Blaine’s ear, “you don’t get to come until I say so.”

Blaine whimpers at the thought alone, at the words coming from Kurt’s lips along with the warm breath that tickles his neck.

“Yes, sir,” Blaine whispers.

He immediately feels Kurt’s lips scatter tender kisses over the sensitive patch of skin just below Blaine’s ear. Blaine’s fingers curl into a fist, still stuck between their bodies, and there’s a voice at the back of his head that tells him _Kurt didn’t say to touch_. It makes him hesitate for more than one reason. One of them is the realization that he _wants_ to be told. That despite Kurt saying that it’s okay, that Blaine doesn’t need to hold back, it’s more enticing to wait for an order. Still, he can’t keep his other hand in place when Kurt’s lips move lower, to Blaine’s shoulder.

Blaine feels like his knees are about to buckle, and to stop from falling over, his hand moves and it lands on Kurt’s waist, right on the waistband of his jeans. _Cooper’s_ _jeans_ , Blaine remembers and is hit with a momentary feeling of regret that he didn’t try to get Kurt into some of his own clothes. His fingers twitch a little when they hit the sliver of skin just above the rough fabric of the jeans, and he lifts them away, breaking the contact.

“Don’t do that,” Kurt mumbles into Blaine’s shoulder.

“Don’t do what?” Blaine asks, wondering for a tiny moment if Kurt can read his mind, then dismisses the thought. “I want you to tell me,” he mutters instead, to himself more than to Kurt.

Kurt moves then, his hands pulling away from Blaine’s back, and Blaine whimpers at the loss of the contact. Kurt’s eyebrow is raised when Blaine looks at him, but he doesn’t get the chance to wonder why.

“Come here,” Kurt says, then takes Blaine’s hands in his own and nods towards the bed. “Lie down, sweetheart,” he whispers and then waits.

Blaine’s eyes widen, but he doesn’t protest or resist. Unsure how to move without letting go of Kurt’s hands, he shifts backwards, and when his knees hit the bed again, he lets gravity take over. Kurt’s the one to break the contact between their hands because when Blaine’s back drops onto the covers, he feels Kurt following along, but letting go and bracing himself on his arms, his body over Blaine’s.

“No more falling over this way,” Kurt says quietly. “And since you’re either still questioning my words about touching, or there’s something we will need to talk about later,” Kurt’s eyes narrow at Blaine.

Blaine blushes and wonders again if the possibility of Kurt reading his mind is really that much of a stretch..

“Don’t think I didn’t notice, sweetheart,” Kurt says with a soft smile. “But because it’s something you’re still not willing to do, you’ll keep your hands away instead.”

Blaine’s fingers immediately grip the covers, and he nods in acknowledgment of Kurt’s order.

“Can you do that for me, sweetheart? Or do I need to check what you marked on the list for ties?”

There’s an amused tone in Kurt’s words, but it flies past Blaine’s mind completely, and the memory of the entries related to bondage, however mild on their list, makes him moan.

“That kind of answers my question,” Kurt says with a laugh. “Next time,” he promises and brushes his lips over Blaine’s. “Though I’ll tell you that it’s the same answer as on my list.”

Blaine doesn’t find words to respond to Kurt; his eyes shut again and his fingers grip the fabric below them tighter. He feels the urge to lift his lips off of the bed, but he tries to fight it. Kurt didn’t say to not move at all, but Blaine wants to stay still, be good, wait for what his Dom is planning to do. Kurt whispers in his ear to move a little higher on the bed, and Blaine follows the order, kicking his shoes off in the process. He feels Kurt shift and lie by Blaine’s side, and when Blaine feels the touch of Kurt’s fingertips tracing along his collarbone, he realizes why Kurt moved.

“You’re beautiful, sweetheart,” Kurt says quietly, with something that sounds like reverence to Blaine. “I kind of want to lie here and look at you until I remember everything.”

Blaine whimpers at the words accompanied with a touch that’s barely there, but just enough for Blaine to be aware of it. He struggles to not arch into it, barely resists asking for more as the tension in his body makes his toes curl.

“But I don’t think that would be enough,” Kurt continues before Blaine can properly catch his breath. “I think I want to do more, I think I _need_ to get to know you by touch, too.”

When Kurt’s hand continues its random patterns across Blaine’s body, he starts to feel like he’s falling again, the sensation not unfamiliar anymore. He wants Kurt to continue, to never stop, to do _more_. But when Blaine’s mouth opens, he doesn’t find the words to say, and only a small whimper falls out.

“If there’s anything you want, you’ll have to tell me, sweetheart,” Kurt says softly and then drops his lips to Blaine’s shoulder. “But remember, you don’t get to come until I say so.”

The words don’t do anything to calm Blaine down. Instead of helping him stay calm like he’s trying to, they remind him of how hard he already is and how uncomfortable his pants are getting. This time he can’t stop his hips from bucking up a little, craving touch and even the smallest amount of friction that the movement provides. Through the fog surrounding his mind, Blaine can hear Kurt chuckle lightly and then feels the press of his Dom’s hand against his chest.

“You’ll need to tell me,” Kurt says a moment later, his palm resting in the middle of Blaine’s torso. “Not show me, I’ll need words, sweetheart. What do you need?”

“I don’t know,” Blaine breathes out, his voice high and shaky. “More, just… _more_. Anything, sir.”

Kurt’s touch becomes steadier and firmer after Blaine’s answer, the slow swipes across Blaine’s skin more deliberate. When the pads of Kurt’s fingers brush over one of Blaine’s nipples, Blaine can feel the sparks shoot right down to his cock, and again he can’t stop his body from arching into the touch. A slightly disapproving sound is followed by a hum of acknowledgment from Kurt’s lips when Blaine's whole body shivers when the movement is repeated.

There’s no way Blaine can tell how much time has passed. Each shift of Kurt’s hand and each movement of the bed underneath him caused by Kurt sliding closer gives Blaine’s arousal a boost. It’s not long before nothing else around them matters and Blaine’s mind is focused on the chant of _more, please Kurt, please sir_.

“Shh, easy sweetheart,” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s ear and interrupts the steady flow of pleas. “I’ve got you, I’m here.”

The words make Blaine realize that he must have said some of the words out loud, and the knowledge makes him blush and bite his bottom lip. But Kurt moves his hand from where he’s touching and frees Blaine’s lip from his teeth, then runs a thumb over it soothingly before he leans in for a kiss. When their lips meet, Kurt’s hand drops back down to Blaine’s waist, lower than it was until then, and Kurt’s thumb slides below the waistband of Blaine’s pants. Blaine moans into the kiss and then gasps when Kurt pulls away.

“Are you okay with taking these off?” Kurt asks a few seconds later, tugging on the fabric his fingers are holding.

“Yes, god yes,” Blaine blurts out.

Kurt gets up and kneels by Blaine’s side, and his fingers undo Blaine’s belt quickly, then he tugs on the button and zipper. When he does that, Blaine feels Kurt’s knuckles brush against Blaine’s cock and he moans at what he assumes at first is an accidental touch. His eyes fly open when instead of shying away, Kurt presses his fingers down more firmly and deliberately.

“Is this the _more_ you were asking for, sweetheart?” Kurt asks, and his eyebrow lifts when he trails a finger down Blaine’s length while he tugs on the pants.

“Y-yes…”

Blaine can barely breathe, but he doesn’t close his eyes again. He manages to get a breathless ‘ _please_ ’ out when Kurt’s hands pull the pants lower, then he arches up to help his Dom with taking them off completely. Kurt moves along with the piece of clothing, and once they’re off, he slides up Blaine’s body until their bodies are lined up and his mouth is on Blaine’s neck. He holds himself up a little, not letting his weight fall on Blaine’s, and then his free hand comes to rest on Blaine’s hip.

“Tell me what you want, sweetheart,” Kurt says and pulls his lips away from where he was kissing Blaine’s neck and shoulder. “Tell me and then maybe you get to come.”

Blaine groans at the words and tries to form words to tell Kurt that he wants his hands, his lips, any kind of contact. He’s wound tight and words start falling out of his mouth breathlessly.

“Please, touch me, sir,” he whispers and follows it with a moan when Kurt’s hand slides closer to his cock.

“Touch you here?” Kurt asks and runs a finger over Blaine’s underwear, the fabric numbing the contact a little. “Are you going to be good for me?”

“Yes,” Blaine gasps, but he’s already struggling to keep that promise.

Everything is a haze, but he manages to tell himself to wait, to hold on, to breathe even though his lungs are refusing to cooperate. _I can wait, I can be good_ , Blaine repeats to himself, and he tries not to give in to the sparks of arousal or the urge to press his cock into Kurt’s hand.

It takes one brush of Kurt’s hand along Blaine’s hard cock combined with a gentle whisper of “Come for me, sweetheart, I want to see,” from Kurt’s lips. The words and the touch are the final push, and Blaine is falling, his mind blank at first. Then his body is shaking and all he can feel are the trembles of his orgasm washing over him, and Kurt’s repeated whispers of “I’ve got you” that Blaine is pretty sure he’s only imagining. He can’t see Kurt anymore, his sight blurred more than ever, but he keeps his eyes open.

He doesn’t have any idea of how much time passes, but his body slowly stops shaking, his cock stops pulsing under Kurt’s hand, and Blaine lets go of consciousness completely. His eyes close and shut the world out as he plunges into darkness.


	35. Surface Ripples

It’s the whispers and the coolness around him that bring Blaine back to complete awareness eventually. He isn’t sure how much time has passed, but it was enough for Kurt to tuck Blaine in and clean him up. Not that Blaine remembers much of it besides the quiet “ _good boy_ ” and “ _so beautiful_ ”. Even a memory of the word “beautiful” makes his blush reappear. Instead of moving and making it known to Kurt, whose voice carries across the room despite how quiet he’s trying to be, Blaine stays still and listens.

“I know, Dad, but we’re okay,” Kurt whispers, and Blaine realizes that it’s Burt whom Kurt is talking to.

It makes sense, of course, since they are in the Hummels’ house, but somehow it didn’t cross Blaine’s mind that Burt would come home. That enough time has passed for the man to be back from work. That he would _know_.

“He went pretty deep,” Kurt continues, and Blaine’s fingers twitch a little against the cool sheets surrounding him. “I have some snacks and water ready, yes,” he hears Kurt answer a question that Blaine didn’t hear.

He glances to the nightstand by the bed and notices a tray on it with a bottle of water and some fruit. Blaine is glad that he didn’t wake up -- _I wasn’t asleep though, is it still waking up in this case_ , he thinks -- when Kurt was out of the room. Even only hearing his Dom’s voice is reassuring, and he doesn’t want to think of the possibility of snapping back to reality and being alone.

“I know we’ll need to talk more, Dad, I know,” Kurt’s voice pitches higher, and Blaine can hear the slight panic in it. “We already did, a little. I couldn’t… he _needed_ this. I knew he did, and it would have been irresponsible of me to keep him on edge like he was.”

Blaine’s cheeks heat up more, the words bringing back what happened earlier. The talk about the lists, the urge he had to submit, Kurt’s words and touches. Everything slams into Blaine’s consciousness all at once, and he gasps before he has a chance to keep himself still.

“I’ll be okay, Dad,” Kurt’s voice sounds clearer, and Blaine’s eyes turn to the door.

Kurt is looking at Blaine with a small smile on his lips. Then, without turning to the door again, he whispers, “I’ll be okay. _We_ will be okay.”

Blaine isn’t sure if the words are directed at him or Burt, but they comfort him nevertheless. The combination of memories from earlier and Burt _knowing_ made anxiety start building in his mind, but Kurt’s words have the immediate effect of easing that.

“Hey sweetheart, welcome back,” Kurt says, and Blaine startles when the bed dips as Kurt sits down next to him.

 _When did he get here_ , Blaine thinks and glances to the door.

“Dad has gone to make some dinner,” Kurt answers the unspoken question.

Blaine takes a deep breath and feels Kurt’s fingers reach for his hand. He unclenches his own fingers from where they are gripping the sheets and turns his hand up. Kurt’s free hand reaches up to Blaine’s face, and he pushes away a stray curl.

“I’m sorry,” Blaine mumbles.

He wouldn’t be able to explain what it is he’s sorry for, reasons jumping out at him one by one. His brain reminds him that he slipped into deep subspace, that he didn’t know how to handle his urge to submit, that he didn’t make sure he reciprocated when his Dom made him come.

“There’s nothing you need to be sorry for, beautiful,” Kurt says with a gentle smile and cups Blaine’s cheek. “You were so good for me earlier, apologies aren’t necessary.”

“But I didn’t… _you_ didn’t…” Blaine tries to say, but words are escaping him and his throat itches.

Kurt breaks the contact between them only long enough to reach for the bottle of water that Blaine spotted earlier. He quickly unscrews the top, and Blaine shifts around to sit up and reach for it, then he takes a gulp that almost makes him choke.

“Hey, hey, easy,” Kurt says, his voice soothing but with a trace of worry. “Drink slowly, sweetheart.”

Blaine nods, and the next sip he takes is more tentative and small.

“Now, I need you to drink at least half of that,” Kurt says firmly, nodding towards the bottle. “I have a snack on here too, but hydration first. Carefully, though.”

Without saying a word, Blaine brings the bottle to his lips and sips, his eyes on the sheets that he realizes are barely covering him.

“And it doesn’t matter, sweetheart,” Kurt adds after a pause. “Earlier wasn’t about you reciprocating. It was about you getting what you needed and me giving you exactly that.”

“But…” Blaine tries to protest.

He doesn’t get to say more, because Kurt lifts a finger to Blaine’s lips with a smile.

“No, enough,” Kurt says with a tone more stern than Blaine heard so far. “Let me explain. You’re vulnerable to falling into subspace without any major conscious effort on either of our parts,” Kurt says quietly, and there is no tone that Blaine can detect.

The lack of any emotion in Kurt’s voice unsettles him just as much as the words his Dom is saying. Blaine wants to ask more, but Kurt didn’t move his finger from Blaine’s mouth. He isn’t showing any signs of being willing to pause for questions yet, either.

“You might not have realized it, but from seeing you _and_ from some of the things you said,” Kurt finally cracks a small smile, “you needed this more than I did. Not that I didn’t enjoy you being so good for me, though,” Kurt says, and Blaine can see the glint in his Dom’s eyes.

The praise washes over him, but Blaine also registers the part about saying things he wasn’t aware of. He tries to remember, but everything from earlier seems to be wrapped in a haze. Then Kurt moves his hand away from Blaine’s face and rests it on Blaine’s thigh.

“I…” he pauses, unsure what he can say to what Kurt has just told him. “Thank you?”

It comes out as a question, a part of him wondering if that’s the right thing to say. He’s grateful for Kurt doing what he did, but now that Blaine is more alert, a small part of him, the one that reminds him of his independence that he’s built up over the years, protests. He glances down to the bottle in his hands and stares at it, trying to ignore the warmth of Kurt’s hand on his thigh.

 _I’m not weak_ , he thinks. _I’m not. I can do this._

“Blaine, what’s wrong?” Kurt’s voice interrupts Blaine’s thoughts.

When Blaine looks into Kurt’s eyes again he can see the worry in them all too clearly. Guilt washes over him; alarming his soulmate is the last thing Blaine was planning to do.

“It’s nothing,” he says and shakes his head.

“Please, sweetheart,” Kurt says, his voice so quiet that Blaine can barely hear it. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

The plea sounds wrong from the Dom’s lips, but the order is clear then, rushing through Blaine’s body and offering an immediate anchor.

“I don’t know…” he starts, but then stops himself and takes a deep breath. “No, I know. It’s that… I feel out of control. And it’s making me worried,” he says and breathes out.

Even saying it out loud makes him relax a little, and it helps that he can feel Kurt’s hand on his leg, despite the thin barrier of the fabric.

“Okay,” Kurt nods. “Is anything of what we have done worrying you?”

“No!” Blaine exclaims, his body tensing. “No, that’s not what I mean. Absolutely not,” he says, shaking his head. “I do wish I’d remember earlier better,” he adds and blushes.

“I could take pictures next time?” Kurt asks with a teasing smirk.

Blaine freezes and thinks, _oh okay, that could be a thing_. His cheeks heat up more when he notices Kurt’s eyes studying his face.

“Kidding, Blaine,” Kurt says and chuckles. “For now.”

Neither of them says anything for a moment. Blaine mulls over what Kurt said as a joke and wonders if it’s too soon to say that the idea is not unwelcome. Then he blinks to get his thoughts back on track and moves his hand on top of Kurt’s.

“I’m worried that I’ll be like this in school,” he mumbles then.

His eyes move away from Kurt, but he refocuses them on his soulmate’s face again almost immediately. Kurt doesn’t say anything at first, the blue eyes narrow like he’s debating how to tell Blaine something that will not be at all pleasant.

“I don’t think you will be,” Kurt says. “It’s what the lessons will be about, too. How to be aware of your instincts and how to not let them rule your life,” he explains, and Blaine’s shoulders sag in relief. “Though, I’m surprised that you weren’t told at least that in the general classes,” Kurt adds and frowns.

“Maybe we were, in the one last year,” Blaine admits sheepishly. “When we had those, everyone already assumed I would be a Dom, so that was the part I paid attention to more. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize,” Kurt says quietly. “It probably wasn’t much anyway, though I wish this all wasn’t such a surprise to you.”

Blaine can hear the way Kurt’s voice cracks on the last few words. When Kurt ducks his head, Blaine can’t help but wonder if Kurt is worried too.

“I got you out of the whole deal,” Blaine says, his fingers closing around Kurt’s hand. “That’s nothing that I could ever regret.”

Kurt looks up then, relief written all over his face when his eyes meet Blaine’s.

“I’m glad,” he whispers and smiles. “Look, if it helps any right now, I can promise to not be too bossy when we’re in school. Except for your clothes, I might need to assert my Dominance there,” Kurt says with a smirk.

Blaine chuckles in response, but then his frown returns.

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” he whispers and looks down again.

“Blaine,” he hears Kurt’s whisper and looks up when Kurt’s hand cups his jaw. “Sweetheart, listen,” Kurt speaks in a firm but caring tone. “That’s why we were allowed to skip school. I don’t think anyone else could just throw orders at you and that you’d obey them. But if anyone knew that you haven’t had your classes, they might try. It won’t be the same once Cooper shows you how to deal with Doms who overstep.”

“But what if…” Blaine starts, then shudders at the thought that’s forming in his mind. “I have felt the urge to follow Coach Sylvester’s order. And your Dad’s.”

“You didn’t, though,” Kurt smiles gently. “Especially the coach’s order, I was proud of you for not giving in. I _am_ proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Blaine says and manages a smile.

He lets the praise wash over him and comfort him. It’s still strange to him how much the simple words mean, how deep they reach in his mind and how strongly he feels like they’re sending him straight into what he assumes is subspace. Blaine is still confused about what exactly that is, though the warmth and feeling of being safe are parts of it that he knows he craves already.

“Wait,” he sits up straighter suddenly and his eyes widen at a realization he wasn’t prepared for. “That was your Dad at the door before, wasn’t it?”

He tries to hide the panicky pitch in his voice, but fails miserably.

“Yes, it was,” Kurt nods. “He wanted to make sure we were okay.”

“Does he know?”

Blaine doesn’t bother elaborating on his question. His sudden panic is seeping through every breath as he waits for Kurt’s answer, hoping that his Dom knows what the query is about.

“He knows, obviously, that we were here for a while,” Kurt nods and moves his hand to wrap around Blaine’s. “He really only checked to see if I needed anything. If _we_ needed anything.”

“But did you… does he…” Blaine stumbles over his words, still not comfortable discussing specifics of what happened.

Kurt finally seems to understand what Blaine is so worried about, his cheeks burning with heat.

“I didn’t share details, sweetheart,” Kurt answers and wraps his hands tighter around Blaine’s. “I wouldn’t ever do that. I might ask for advice, but I’m unlikely to do that with my Dad anyway,” Kurt’s blush matches Blaine’s. “I mean, he _is_ a Dom, and he was married, so I’m guessing he has an idea…” Kurt’s voice trails off a little, then he clears his throat. “But no, he doesn’t know that much.”

“Okay,” Blaine lets out the breath he was holding while he waited for Kurt’s answer. “Thank you.”

Kurt smiles and leans in to give Blaine a quick kiss, then lets go of Blaine’s hand and reaches for the tray on the nightstand. Blaine eyes the things on it, all light and healthy, though only snacks.

“Now, sweetheart,” Kurt looks into Blaine’s eyes and his gaze is almost steely. “I need you to eat at least some of this. Ideally everything, but I wasn’t sure if you had any allergies, so if you do, let me know and we’ll figure out something else.”

Blaine shakes his head, hoping that answers Kurt’s query about allergies. Then he watches as Kurt shifts from firm Dominant mode into slightly rambling, and he can’t help but think that it’s adorable. He grabs an apple off the tray and bites into it, trying to hide his smile behind the fruit.

“Thank you,” Kurt says with a relieved tone. “Once you’ve eaten, we’ll rest some more and then I’ll have to make dinner for Dad.”

“Okay,” Blaine nods. “Can I help with that?”

“We’ll figure something out,” Kurt says with a chuckle. “We’ll see if you’re any good in a kitchen.”

“I can learn, sir,” Blaine says in a tone that’s bordering on teasing, and it earns him a raised eyebrow from Kurt.

“We’ll go to bed early tonight,” Kurt then adds and blushes a little when Blaine looks to him in surprise. “Not _that way_ , Blaine. Oh god, you’re impossible,” he laughs at Blaine’s attempt to look innocent. “Bed for sleeping, nothing else tonight.”

“But sir…” Blaine tries to protest, but Kurt’s hand is on Blaine’s mouth before he can say anything else.

“None of that, sweetheart,” Kurt says and frowns. “Sleeping only. Your brother, if I’ve been reading him right, is likely to be here at the break of dawn, and I want to look halfway tolerable.”

“Are you planning on dressing _down_?” Blaine asks between bites of the apple and tries to not laugh.

“No?” Kurt throws Blaine a questioning look, his ‘no’ hesitant.

“You’re going to blow them all away no matter what you’re wearing,” Blaine says with a serious tone.

“Thank you,” Kurt whispers and it’s his turn to blush. “You’re still not getting anything but cuddles tonight, sweetheart.”

Blaine visibly perks up at the mention of cuddles and thinks, _that will do._ The knowledge that he gets to spend the night with Kurt combined with the promise of closeness is enough to stop his worries from spinning out of control. He moves on the bed and only stops when his knee hits Kurt’s, the little touch enough to make Blaine feel the warmth and its comfort.


	36. Rude Awakening

“Ten more minutes, Mom,” Blaine mumbles into the fabric that his face is pressed into when the alarm from his phone blares through the room.

The pillow underneath him trembles a little, and then he hears the chuckling. _Oh_.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Kurt’s voice reaches Blaine’s ears a moment later, laced with amusement.

“Sorry,” Blaine says, his voice muffled by what he now realizes are Kurt’s pajamas.

He knows he’s blushing, his cheeks hot not just from the contact of his body with Kurt’s. But it’s still unusual -- unsurprisingly, since it’s only the second time they woke up side by side -- to not be alone when he’s waking up, to have Kurt _there_.

“Should I be worried that you’re confused enough to think I’m…” Kurt starts, and Blaine almost jumps away, his eyes wide and panicky.

“ _No!_ ” he says before Kurt can finish the sentence. “No, I definitely know you’re not… that you are…” He realizes he’s babbling as the panic takes over his mind and he takes a steadying breath. “I know who you are,” he finishes in a whisper.

“I’m kidding, Blaine,” Kurt smiles, and his hand moves up to cup Blaine’s cheek.

“I’m sorry, I just… it’s morning, and I usually wake up to Mom trying to get me to school,” Blaine says quietly, still apologetic. “This is still new, and the alarm wasn’t on yesterday.”

“I know, sweetheart, it’s okay,” Kurt leans in for a gentle kiss. “We should get up, though, Cooper will probably be here in no time.”

As if on cue, Blaine’s phone beeps loudly with the sound of an incoming text message. He groans and turns to pick it off the nightstand beside him.

“Speaking of the devil himself,” he mumbles when Cooper’s name comes up on the screen with a quick “GOOD MORNING!” text message.

“Does he say when he’ll be here?” Kurt asks.

Blaine’s back is turned to his Dom, but he feels the warmth of Kurt’s palm on his hip. It does not help him focus, but he manages to type a quick “Good morning. When shall we expect you?” message. Then he shifts until Kurt’s chest is radiating heat against his back.

“I asked him, but if he’s texting, we might have a little more time,” Blaine says.

Kurt’s hand moves to rest on Blaine’s stomach, and Blaine gasps when he feels Kurt’s lips pressing against his neck.

“Whatever shall we do with that time?” Kurt asks then, in between kisses.

Blaine hums in response and relaxes into Kurt’s touch. When the phone beeps again, though, he tenses and reads over the response from Cooper.

“Apparently, his Doms wouldn’t let him leave without breakfast first, so they’re only just outside of Columbus,” Blaine tells Kurt and turns to face him.

There’s a second of silence and then the loud sound of both of their stomachs rumbling in reaction to the mention of breakfast. Kurt’s eyes crinkle at the edges as he smiles.

“I guess that’s our answer to what we should do with the time we have?” Kurt asks, and Blaine almost pouts.

“This is nice, though,” Blaine says and drops the phone on the covers so he can put his hand on top of Kurt’s. “I don’t want to move just yet.”

“Hmm,” Kurt hums, then his eyes narrow at yet another rumble, this time only from Blaine’s stomach. “You need to eat, sweetheart.”

Blaine turns a little more and buries his face into Kurt’s shoulder with another mumble of “I don’t want to” that is followed by Kurt’s chuckle.

“Not a morning person, then, I take it,” Kurt says and pulls Blaine closer. “I wonder what I could do to wake you up properly.”

Without waiting for an answer from Blaine, Kurt’s hand moves, and Blaine can feel his pajamas being pushed off his lower back. Kurt’s fingers graze along the waistband of the pants Blaine is wearing, then dip slightly below the elastic. Blaine hums and nuzzles into Kurt more but holds his hips firmly in place instead of giving in to the urge to move them towards Kurt. He can feel his cock filling, reacting immediately to Kurt’s caresses.

“Hmm, waking up, are we?” Kurt teases and flattens his hand against Blaine’s back, then he presses to move them closer.

Blaine moans when their hips collide and he realizes that it’s not only him reacting to the touches. Kurt is hard against him and almost immediately begins rubbing their cocks against each other. It’s enough to tease, even through the fabric of Blaine and Kurt’s pajama pants. Blaine whimpers and digs his fingers into Kurt’s side where his hand landed earlier. Then, suddenly, Kurt pulls away, and Blaine looks up.

“Okay, it’s time for breakfast,” Kurt says, and Blaine responds with a groan. “Hey now, we’ll eat and then we can see how much time we have left.”

Blaine nods and begins sitting up, but when the coolness from outside of the covers hits him, he can’t help but shiver at more than the loss of the heat from the bed. When Kurt’s hand falls away from his back, Blaine immediately misses the contact between them, and he frowns.

“Are you okay?” Kurt asks with concern in his voice.

“Is it always going to be like this?” Blaine asks, seemingly a propos of nothing.

“Like what?”

“Like I can’t breathe when you’re not _right there_ ,” Blaine whispers, his head down and eyes focused on his hands that he put in his lap. “Like no matter how close we are, I want to be _closer_.”

Kurt sits up beside him, and Blaine feels his Dom’s arms wrap around his shoulders.

“A part of me wants to say I hope so,” Kurt says, then hooks his chin over Blaine’s shoulder. “But another part of me realizes that it would be a little bit complicated to go about our everyday lives.”

“Point taken,” Blaine agrees grudgingly.

“But I want to ask,” Kurt says, hesitation clear in his voice. “That first night after we bonded, did you feel like this?”

Blaine thinks back on the night in question. So much has happened since that it feels like a lifetime away and yet a little like it only just happened. He felt lonely then, from the moment that Kurt left to go home until the morning when he rode to school. It wasn’t the strong urge to want to get out of the house and drive until he was in his Dom’s arms, like Blaine is pretty sure he would feel if he were to spend a night alone now. He shakes his head and tries to find the words to explain.

“I felt like I wanted you near, but not this strongly,” he says. “It didn’t feel like this bone-deep _need_ , maybe because I didn’t really know what I was missing,” he says with a blush.

“I wish you’d called me if you felt that way,” Kurt says gently.

“It wasn’t necessary,” Blaine shakes his head again. “Though maybe part of why it wasn’t as bad was that I’m stubborn. I didn’t… admitting then that I can’t make it through _one night_ …”

“Hey, it would’ve been okay, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers, his arms tightening around Blaine. “I can see why it would feel like you’re weak, but if you _ever_ feel like you need me…”

“I’ll call,” Blaine nods and smiles. “That night was different, though.”

“Different how?” Kurt’s curiosity is clear in his voice.

“We’d only just met, we bonded _and_ I found out I’m a sub,” Blaine shrugs. “I think in between all that, my mind compartmentalized, and the _missing Kurt_ part didn’t take everything over.”

“I feel like I should be slightly offended,” Kurt says and chuckles.

Blaine tenses immediately. His brain realizes that Kurt is joking, but his instinct supplies an unhelpful ‘ _do not upset your Dominant, be good_ ’ thought that makes him want to apologize immediately. Then Kurt’s hands start a soothing motion on Blaine’s chest and it lessens the tension a little.

“Breathe, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers and continues moving his hands along Blaine’s chest. “I’m joking, I promise I am,” Kurt says then, his tone almost as panicky as Blaine feels.

“I know,” Blaine whispers, but he closes his eyes and his body sags against Kurt’s.

“Well aren’t you two a sight for sore eyes,” a familiar voice booms from the door.

Blaine’s eyes shoot open and his jaw drops when he’s met with the sight of his brother and two people behind him that Blaine figures must be Cooper’s Dominants. He can’t see them clearly enough, though, because Cooper is taking up the entire doorway, a cheeky smirk on his face and an eyebrow up. Blaine’s cheeks immediately flood with heat, and he can feel Kurt’s arms tense and grip Blaine tighter.

“Cooper! What are you… why are you _here_?” Blaine finally manages to blurt out. “Weren’t you only leaving Columbus a while ago?”

Blaine knows there is no way enough time has passed for Cooper to drive all the way to Lima from the time that they’ve exchanged text messages earlier. He glares at his older brother and waits for an explanation.

“Cooper, did you _lie_ to your brother?” The male voice is firm and Blaine shivers a little in reaction to it.

“I… maybe?” Cooper turns back to the people behind him, and the Doms come into view when he steps a little to the side.

“Into the kitchen, now,” the Doms both say in unison.

Blaine’s eyes widen at not only the synchronized reaction that makes him wonder just how long they knew each other before they met Cooper, but also at his brother’s immediate response. Cooper’s head ducks down and without questioning or hesitation, he walks out of view.

“I’m sorry, boys,” the woman -- _Tiffany_ , Blaine reminds himself -- says with a friendly and apologetic smile on her face. “I wish I could say that Cooper isn’t, well, _Cooper_ , as much as he used to be, but unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be going away. He’ll see soon how it was a wrong decision to make.”

Blaine nods, though he’s still debating if he’s angry at Cooper for lying and barging in the way he did, or if he’s too embarrassed for that to matter. Being open and vulnerable with Kurt is still something Blaine is getting used to, and being surprised in a moment like the one they had when Cooper showed up makes Blaine unsettled.

“I won’t spend time now with introductions now,” Tiffany smiles at them both. “We’ll wait downstairs, unless you two would rather we left?”

She looks from Blaine to Kurt, as if asking both of them for their opinion and not only the Dom. Blaine wonders if it’s because she’s not sure who’s who or because she respects both of their wishes. He doesn’t dwell on it but files it away for asking at some point later. He turns to Kurt, unsure of what the answer should be.

“Kurt?” Blaine asks with hesitation, and tries to decipher the look in his Dom’s face. “It’s your place, I don’t know…”

“It’s okay,” Kurt responds after a beat. “You can wait downstairs,” he says to Tiffany, and Blaine turns to her just in time to see her nod and then step outside the room.

“Kurt? Are you okay?” Blaine asks when he turns back to Kurt, whose face is still unreadable.

“Yeah,” Kurt nods quickly and takes a deep breath. “Just didn’t expect that. I should be glad they didn’t show up a little earlier. But it’s still your brother, and his Doms are faces I’ve seen on TV before, so it’s a little … weird.”

Blaine nods, though it’s only when Kurt’s words register that it hits Blaine. His brother is _there_ , in Kurt’s house, with his _famous_ Dominants, with his _two_ Dominants.

“ _A little_ , yes,” Blaine snarks then and hears Kurt chuckle in reaction to the tone.

“I suppose there’s no better time for all this, is there?” Kurt asks and shifts a little.

Blaine grumbles at the movement, but as much as he wants to just pull Kurt back into the bed and snuggle up, he knows he can’t. So, with no qualms about showing just how much he doesn’t _want to_ , he gets out of the bed and rummages through his bag for something to wear. They’re both dressed in a moment, surprisingly, neither of them lingering or getting distracted. Then Kurt offers his hand to Blaine and nods towards the door.

“Okay, time to face the cavalry, I guess,” he says when his fingers link with Blaine’s.

Blaine takes a deep breath and follows his Dom out of the room.


	37. Lesson One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So so sorry for the late update everyone. Real life has decided to mess with my head and the words weren't happening. Hopefully back on track now. Sorry again :(

When they get to the kitchen, Blaine’s eyes widen at the sight of his brother, quiet and subdued, sitting in a chair and staring at the ground. It’s so completely unlike him that Blaine blinks a few times to make sure he’s not simply imagining what he’s seeing.

“Cooper,” Tiffany speaks first when she notices Kurt and Blaine in the doorway. “You know what to do.”

It’s a simple comment, not an order even though the tone implies otherwise. Blaine knows instinctively that there was a conversation before that and it’s not just Cooper reading his Dom’s mind. He watches his brother get up off the chair and turn to the boys.

“I’m sorry, Squirt,” Cooper says quietly. “I shouldn’t have told you that we’d be a while and I shouldn’t have implied that you knew we were arriving to Kurt’s father.”

“You met my Dad?” Kurt says, his voice a little squeaky, and Blaine feels his hand being squeezed tighter.

“Yeah, he was the one who let us in,” Tiffany explains. “We are really sorry about that, boys. And well, Cooper _will be_ sorry,” she glances to Cooper who winces visibly.

“No, don’t… don’t…” Blaine starts whispering but his voice breaks when he tries to word his thoughts.

He knows that the comment implies punishment for Cooper, but he doesn’t want to think about that. On one hand, it makes him wonder about rules that he and Kurt haven’t established yet; on the other he really doesn’t like the reaction that Cooper had to his Dom’s words.

“It’s okay, Blainey,” Cooper says, and there’s a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

Blaine is obviously not the only one who notices that, since both the older Doms look to Cooper and chuckle.

“He does like to push boundaries for this very reason,” Tim, who’s standing off to the side a little, comments.

It takes Blaine a second before his mind registers the meaning of the words, and immediately after he files the information firmly in the category of “too much”.

“Didn’t need to know that about my brother,” he mumbles.

“This is why your parents questioned if it’s a good idea to have Cooper tutor you,” Kurt whispers in Blaine’s ear and chuckles.

“Yeah, I’m rethinking the whole thing,” Blaine quips, an eyebrow raised in Cooper’s direction.

“I’ll behave, Squirt, I promise,” Cooper says hastily. “No teasing, no oversharing, no…”

“Stop right there, Coop,” Blaine laughs at his brother’s rambling. “You and I both know that you’re completely incapable of keeping that promise.”

“I do want to help, though, and if that’s what it takes,” Cooper says with sincerity, “then I’ll do my best to not scar your innocent young mind.”

Blaine hears a chuckle from Kurt, turns around and narrows his eyes in warning. Cooper most certainly doesn’t need encouragement for teasing Blaine, and with so many people in the room, Blaine really doesn’t want to discuss anything that he considers _private_. His cheeks flush when he thinks of how wrong his brother is, because while they haven’t done that much, Blaine’s mind is anything but pure and innocent.

“Okay, okay, drama queen,” Tiffany says with a laugh. “We all know… okay, Tim and I know, and I’m guessing Blaine does, that your promises are going to be thrown out of the window the moment you get a chance to break them.”

“But…”

“No, Cooper, stop,” Tim says from his corner, his tone firm and calm.

The order resonates with Blaine, the Dom’s strength enough that it skirts around Blaine’s submissive instincts even though it wasn’t meant for him. He clutches Kurt’s hand firmly and only relaxes when he becomes aware of Kurt’s thumb rubbing soothingly over Blaine’s skin.

“Now, how about introductions?” Tiffany asks. “We’ve heard about you from Cooper, of course, Blaine,” she smiles and holds a hand out to Blaine. “I’m Tiffany.”

There’s a beat of hesitation, and Blaine realizes that he has to let go of Kurt to return the handshake he’s offered. Their fingers unlink slowly and Blaine reaches out. Before he knows what’s happening, he sees her glance to Kurt over Blaine’s shoulder and then Blaine is being pulled into a hug. It’s comforting to be hugged, and then gets more calming when she whispers “ _you’ll be okay, kiddo_ ” into his ear. Blaine is still a little dazed when she lets go and turns him towards Tim, who is offering a hand and a smile warmer than Blaine can reconcile with the intimidating image that seeps from Tim’s posture and height.

“Timothy,” the Dom says simply, and Blaine feels a shiver run all the way down to his toes.

“Tim, honey, stop scaring the boy,” Tiffany says softly. “He’s really not frightening, but he likes to act it,” she adds when she turns to Blaine.

“Nice to meet you, officially,” Blaine says and cringes when he hears the hitch in his own voice.

“And you’re Kurt, judging by the protective stance around your boy,” Tiffany smiles over Blaine’s shoulder.

Unlike with Blaine, she doesn’t go for a hug, though Blaine realizes that might be simply because Kurt has an arm wrapped around Blaine and stands so close that there’s no space between them.

“So, Squirt, when do you want to start?” Cooper asks when his Doms step aside.

“About yesterday?” Blaine admits quietly.

He runs through the memories of the past few days and knows how much his instincts are taking over everything he does. There is no denying to himself -- he might get away with pretending to the three newcomers, but not to Kurt -- that even the gentle stroke of Kurt’s hand against Blaine’s stomach is sending warmth right through him.

“I’m afraid I didn’t bring my time machine, bro, so we’ll have to find a time _not_ in the past,” Cooper says with a laugh. “Right now probably isn’t the best idea either, since I’m guessing you two didn’t have breakfast yet.”

“Well, we did think we’d have another hour at least,” Blaine tries really hard to not pout, but he knows he’s probably failing.

“And once again, I _am_ sorry,” Cooper repeats the apology, his tone sounding more sincere than the first time around. “We can leave, if you’d like, _or_ ,” he glances to Tiffany and Tim, “I can apologize more by taking you two out for breakfast?”

It’s an olive branch, and Blaine thinks about having to prepare anything right now, knowing that Cooper is waiting for them to be ready to talk. His stomach is in knots as it is, and the option of going out for breakfast brings another layer of anxiety -- being around other people, including Dominants who would likely sense his nervousness… Blaine hesitates.

“Sweetheart, do you think you’ll be okay outside?” Kurt asks in a whisper, his arm still wrapped closely around Blaine’s waist.

Blaine shakes his head then, before replying, “I don’t know, I don’t…”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Kurt reassures him quietly, keeping his voice low so that the others can’t hear.

Then he speaks up at normal volume, looking to Cooper.

“We do appreciate the offer, Cooper, but maybe staying in would be better right now,” Kurt says. “Maybe after you two have started the lessons? Rain check?”

“Yeah, of course,” Cooper nods and narrows his eyes at Blaine. “Squirt, are you…”

There’s concern written all over his face, worry that Blaine is unused to seeing in Cooper’s eyes. It stirs something in him, the urge to reassure everyone that he can handle himself, that he doesn’t need to be coddled. But then Kurt’s fingers press into his side and Blaine immediately relaxes again, the touch making him realize that he had tensed in his Dom’s arms.

“I’m fine, Coop,” Blaine nods a moment later. “Hungry, though.”

“You’re all welcome to stay,” Kurt says and pulls away from Blaine, linking their fingers to replace the body contact. “We’ll just…” he waves his hand towards the fridge and counter.

“How about we let you boys eat in peace,” Tim offers with a gentle smile. “We can drop off our bags at the Andersons’ and come back in a while.”

“Sure,” Kurt nods and glances to Blaine. “Is that okay with you?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Blaine says quietly. “Do Mom and Dad even know you’re here, Coop?”

“They’re… expecting us,” Cooper says hesitantly. “Maybe not quite _now_ , but…”

Blaine notices immediately how Tiffany and Tim’s glances meet and then how their eyes narrow at Cooper who pales under their gaze. This time, though, Blaine doesn’t feel the need to defend or protect his brother and instead he smirks.

“Trouble,” Blaine whispers loud enough that everyone hears him.

Laughter rings through the kitchen, and whatever tension was still lingering, it dissipates in the sound. Cooper’s cheeks burn bright red, but he doesn’t try to defend himself. Kurt shakes his head and glances to Blaine with a questioning look, but then he moves to the coffee machine to get it started.

“Squirt, before we go, can I talk to you for a minute?” Cooper asks a moment later, when Blaine starts to pull out things from the fridge.

“Yeah, of course,” Blaine nods and leaves the juice carton on the counter. “I’ll be back in a moment, Kurt,” he whispers into Kurt’s ear.

They only slip out into the hall, within hearing distance of the noise from the kitchen. Blaine notices Cooper’s eyes lingering in the direction of the door, and both of them narrow their eyes when laughter rings from where the Dominants are clearly falling into conversation.

“They’re good for you,” Blaine says quietly as he looks back to his brother.

“They are,” Cooper agrees and smiles. “I’m lucky. So are you, though. Kurt is…”

“Perfect,” Blaine whispers and his cheeks heat up. “He’s … everything.”

“I’m glad,” Cooper grins and pulls Blaine into a hug. “I was worried about you, after school and the surprise bonding, I wasn’t sure how you’d do with everything.”

“I’m okay,” Blaine mumbles into Cooper’s shoulder. “Well, mostly. It’s a lot, but… you’ll help, right?”

Blaine pulls away from his brother’s embrace and looks at him with a frown.

“This isn’t just an elaborate prank that you thought up, is it?” he asks Cooper, a tiny hint of worry in his tone.

“Squirt, I wouldn’t…” Cooper starts to protest, then shrugs. “Okay, okay, I _would_ , but not about this. This is too important, too dangerous to make a joke of. I’m here for you, with whatever you need, Blaine.”

“I don’t _know_ what I need, Coop,” Blaine admits quietly. “The lessons in school were barely there, the one with the coach was a disaster at best. I don’t have a clue what to do.”

“Okay, I was going to wait until we get back, but here’s the first thing,” Cooper says and wraps his arm around Blaine’s shoulder. “You already have one thing that a lot of bonded couples don’t, you know?”

“What’s that?”

“You two trust each other, without hesitation, without question,” Cooper states.

“How do you… how… what?” Blaine turns to look at his brother, feeling confused.

“I can see it,” Cooper says like that explains everything. “And it’s not only that you trust Kurt. That’s only half of it and that wouldn’t be enough. Trust comes naturally to submissives, though it doesn't always for Dominants. But Kurt trust you to be honest. It took Tiff a while before she stopped checking with me, Tim still has moments when he doubts if I’m not pushing further than I can handle. You two, you have something special.”

“Thank you?” Blaine’s words sound like a question.

“I’m just telling you what I see, Squirt,” Cooper says and laughs. “It’s almost painfully obvious, really. I mean, if I didn’t know you two bonded only so recently, I’d think you were together forever.”

“I don’t want to mess it up, Coop,” Blaine says quietly.

“You won’t. We’ll help you two and it’ll all work out, okay?” Cooper squeezes Blaine’s shoulder reassuringly. “In fact, I’m pretty sure Tiff and Tim are in there,” he nods towards the kitchen, “offering Kurt help while I’m tutoring you. You might just end up with a Dom _very_ well prepared for everything.”

“You mean, someone who would be capable of handling even _you_?” Blaine says and chuckles when Cooper tries to ruffle his hair.

“Still sassy as usual, kiddo, I see,” Cooper grins. “Come on, before Kurt comes in accusing me of depriving you of breakfast.”

When they walk into the kitchen, they’re met with the sight of Tiffany, Kurt and Tim deep in a serious conversation, none of them noticing Cooper or Blaine in the doorway.

“I wonder which one of us needs to be worried, B,” Cooper says out loud and yelps when Blaine pokes his side and the three Dominants immediately stop speaking and turn to the brothers.

“Shit, me then,” Cooper adds and Blaine can’t help but smirk.


	38. Waiting Game

“You what, Cooper?” Tim asks, and Blaine doesn’t miss the way the corner of the Dom’s mouth lifts into a smirk.

“I’m in trouble?” Cooper responds with a question.

“Now, why would you be in trouble?” Tiffany asks and steps closer.

Blaine watches the way Cooper relaxes when she puts a palm against his chest. For a moment, Blaine is absolutely mesmerized with the sight, with how the unending energy that Cooper normally radiates with lowers visibly. Cooper’s movements slow and his hands come to a rest on his thighs, his fingers losing the twitching that Blaine is used to seeing. It’s like the simple touch almost puts Cooper into a state where he’s …. _sleepy_ , Blaine’s mind supplies. It looks like what Blaine thinks he would look to the world just after waking up, all movements sluggish and soft.

He’s so lost in his thoughts that it’s only when Tiffany steps back that Blaine realizes that she and Cooper were talking. Cooper’s eyes are fixed on Blaine like he’s waiting for an answer, but Blaine has no idea what the question is.

“I’m sorry, did you ask something, Coop?” Blaine says and feels the heat rising in his face.

“Tiffany asked when we wanted to start,” Cooper says and glances to Kurt. “But it’s up to you, Squirt.”

Blaine hesitates at first. He wants to start, but he’s also worried. Not that he could put into words what it is that is making him nervous. It’s not Cooper nor the learning part that make him unsettled, it’s more a feeling somewhere at the back of his mind that makes him wonder if there is a way to _fail_.

“Now? I mean, when you guys get back from Mom and Dad’s,” he quickly corrects himself, remembering that Cooper and his Doms were heading out.

“That works for me,” Kurt says before Blaine can ask him if he’s okay with that.

“Kurt, is it okay if they stay here?” Tim asks. “We’d like to take you out and leave Cooper and Blaine to figure out a schedule and details.”

“Yeah, that…” Kurt pauses, and his eyes widen at the older Doms as Tiffany walks to Tim’s side. “I’d like to continue the conversation we started,” he says and glances toward Blaine with a blush.

“Do I want to know what that conversation was about?” Blaine asks.

“You’ll know… eventually,” Kurt smirks, and it’s Blaine’s turn to blush as possibilities cross his mind.

Cooper chuckles, and it alerts Blaine to the fact that the three visitors are by the door, ready to leave. He moves to Kurt’s side and looks to his Dom, his mind musing over what the plan is for the next while.

“We’ll see you soon, Cooper,” Kurt says then, and wraps an arm around Blaine’s side. “I hope I won’t have to warn you about teasing Blaine too much.”

“He will get the right warnings, don’t worry,” Tiffany smiles. “We’ll be back like we discussed, Kurt.”

With that, they leave, Tim’s hand on Tiffany’s lower back while she grabs and tugs on Cooper’s hand to get him to follow her.

“Alone again,” Blaine mutters when they hear the front door click closed.

“And we do have some time alone, since Dad has left for the garage,” Kurt says, and Blaine looks at him questioningly. “That’s what he told Tim, at least. I’m guessing he’ll be here for lunch, but I’ll have to call him.”

“Oh, okay,” Blaine nods. “Would you like some coffee?”

He doesn’t know what else to do but to busy himself making them both something to eat. He has questions, he’s curious about the conversation between Kurt, Tiffany and Tim, but he feels like it’s not his place to ask. So he moves from Kurt’s side over to the counter and the coffee machine instead and glances to Kurt as he waits for an answer.

“Please yes,” Kurt says and follows with a groan. “That was a lot of interaction before any caffeine.”

“It was, but at least you didn’t talk to Cooper,” Blaine chuckles.

He brings two mugs to the table and sits down opposite Kurt, content to be sitting in silence for a while. That’s how they stay until Blaine’s coffee is almost gone and Kurt’s mug is completely empty.

“You can ask, sweetheart,” Kurt says then, without any explanation or warning.

“Ask what?” Blaine asks and frowns in confusion.

“I’m pretty sure you’re curious about what Tim and Tiffany told me while you were talking to Cooper,” Kurt smiles. “I could see the wariness in your face when you came back.”

“I’m intrigued, yes,” Blaine admits. “But I don’t feel like it’s my place to ask.”

“You can _always_ ask,” Kurt says. “Always,” he adds and reaches for Blaine’s hand across the table.

“Thank you,” Blaine says and smiles. “I think for now, I’m okay not knowing, though. It will be enough to try and process whatever Cooper has in store for me.”

Kurt’s eyebrows scrunch, and Blaine turns his hand over so that his palm touches Kurt’s.

“I’m not…” he starts, but then pauses and rethinks what he’s about to say. “Okay, I can’t say I’m _not_ worried, but it’s not more than my usual wariness about Cooper. I just expect it to be a lot of information and adjusting. I think my view on some things needs to be changed.”

“Like the things you were so afraid of about being a submissive?” Kurt asks, and Blaine nods.

“I know you told me that you not like,” he gulps and shudders a little, “what Coach Sylvester tried to teach me about Dominants. And I know if I had been a Dom, that wouldn’t be what I’d want to be like. But it’s… the wariness is hard to shake.”

“Tiffany and Tim are not like that either,” Kurt says and smiles. “Hopefully that means that Cooper will have _healthy_ advice.”

“Once he gets the teasing out of his system and figures out how not to overshare, yes.”

Blaine says it with a laugh, but then a blush rises in his cheeks as his mind drifts a little into ideas of what Cooper might possibly want to discuss. He knows he’ll find out soon enough, but the thoughts don’t go away, some of them intriguing and others worrying. Blaine doesn’t want to hear too many details from his brother’s intimate moments, but waiting to know more about what’s in store for him makes Blaine a little impatient.

“Okay, let’s eat and then we’ll need to get changed,” Kurt says and nods towards the coffee.

Blaine glances to the fridge, but before he can get up to make breakfast, Kurt stands up and rushes around the table to Blaine’s side.

“No, sweetheart, stay here,” he says firmly into Blaine’s ear.

Kurt’s order causes a shiver to run down Blaine’s back, from the order itself and the gust of air from Kurt’s mouth.

“I know the kitchen better for now, I’ll be faster,” Kurt offers as an explanation. “And you have a big day ahead of you, so for now, relax and wait.”

“Thank you, sir,” slips from Blaine’s lips before he can think about it.

What throws him more than his own words is the soft kiss against his cheek and Kurt whispering “good boy” before he walks to the fridge.

The warm feeling remains through breakfast, and Blaine revels in it, letting Kurt take care of him. They don’t talk much; Blaine feels no need to and his mind is occupied with mulling over his earlier conversation with Cooper and the upcoming lesson.

“Eat up, sweetheart,” Kurt says quietly when Blaine spends a little too long pushing the scrambled eggs that Kurt made around his plate.

“Yes, sir,” Blaine mutters in response and ducks his head.

He tries to focus on the food, but it’s a slow process since his mind is racing. He does manage to clear his plate eventually, but he is pretty sure that if asked, he wouldn’t be able to say how the meal tasted or what it was exactly.

“Okay, I think by the time we get ready, Cooper will be here,” Kurt says after a glance at the clock on the wall. “Are you fine with staying here while I head out with Tiffany and Tim?”

“Yeah, I am,” Blaine nods. “You’re not going to be sitting in on the lesson anyway,” he pauses and looks at Kurt. “Unless you want to, of course. But it’s… it won’t be like the other one…”

Kurt nods and walks closer, then wraps his arms around Blaine.

“No, it won’t be. I wouldn’t want to leave you alone if I had doubts about how this lesson will go,” Kurt says, smiles, and rests his chin on Blaine’s shoulder. “We won’t stay out too long, I promise.”

“We will need to talk again after, won’t we?” Blaine asks quietly.

“Probably, yes,” Kurt nods. “But first we’ll get through our talks, then we’ll see what needs to be discussed. We didn’t go over the lists properly yesterday. But now, we’re going to get dressed. There’s no way I’m going to be seen in public like this,” Kurt says as he pulls away from Blaine and waves to the clothes he’s in.

“I like you in those,” Blaine says and blushes.

“Thank you, but they are really not public-appropriate clothes,” Kurt chuckles. “Come on, we’re running out of time.”

“Yes, sir,” Blaine grins, the title this time not carrying as much weight as it did earlier.

“Get into my room, sweetheart, before I try and figure out what to do about you being cheeky,” Kurt says, and Blaine immediately heads out of the kitchen, the order unmistakable even though it’s laced with laughter.

When he reaches the room, Blaine turns to face Kurt. He is closer than Blaine expected, and it startles both of them a little when they find each other face to face, only inches away.

“Do you need a shower?” Kurt asks.

Blaine nods and frowns, then glances to the bag of clothes that he packed, and starts wondering what he should wear for the day.

“Will we be going out after?” Blaine asks, but doesn’t move to grab clothes yet.

“I don’t think so; I’ll see if I can cook something quick, and I’ll ask Tiffany and Tim if they want to stay for lunch,” Kurt says and then heads to his closet. “Dad will be home for his break. Is that okay with you?”

Blaine is surprised, yet again, that Kurt has thought of checking with him, and he nods.

“I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed,” Kurt says then, when Blaine finally makes his way to the bag and starts looking for clothes. “I don’t know how the lessons will go. Promise you’ll let me know if you need space after? If you need anything?”

The tone in Kurt’s voice, caring and worried, makes Blaine look up from the pile of T-shirts. He watches Kurt’s fingers tug on the edge of the sweater he’s holding, his teeth biting down on his bottom lip.

“I will, I promise,” Blaine says and walks over to Kurt. “You know, Cooper said something earlier,” Blaine whispers when he stops in front of Kurt.

“What was it?” Kurt asks and looks up.

“That one of the things taught in the lessons is about trust,” Blaine’s voice stays low, and he reaches for Kurt’s hands. “And that it’s one thing we already have.”

Kurt nods, but Blaine doesn’t know if it’s in acknowledgment of Cooper’s assessment or about trust being one of the topics in training.

“I trust you, I want you to know,” Blaine whispers and links their fingers together. “I trust you with everything. I hope you trust me to tell you what you need to know.”

“I do, sweetheart,” Kurt says after a pause, and a smile appears on his lips. “Thank you. It’s…” he pauses and Blaine notices the crease on Kurt’s forehead. “It’s not easy for me, but I do trust you.”

“Thank you, sir,” Blaine whispers and starts ducking his head.

He feels Kurt’s fingers untangle from his own, and then his chin is lifted and Kurt’s lips are on his a moment later. Blaine melts into the kiss straight away and barely notices his own hand wrapping around Kurt’s side. It’s only when Kurt pulls away and smiles at the spot that Blaine realizes he’s reached out.

“I see we’re getting somewhere with this,” Kurt says with a chuckle. “Maybe I just need to kiss you more.”

“Please,” Blaine lets out a whimper with the word.

“Not now, though,” Kurt laughs. “I believe you were going to take a shower?”

Blaine shakes his head to clear it, then pulls away from Kurt.

_A shower. Cold one, I think_ , he muses, but doesn’t say the words out loud. He doesn’t look back to Kurt either, knowing that he’d have to fight the urge to walk back for another kiss.


	39. Reality Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AN: Okay, massive apologies for the delay with this update. I do promise I'll get better at keeping up and this one isn't making up for the gap - unfortunately, real life happened. I can't promise it won't happen again, but I'll try to be better prepared for if it does. <3

“Okay, sweetheart,” Kurt whispers into Blaine’s ear. “We’ll head out now. Call when you and Cooper are finished?”

Blaine nods against Kurt’s shoulder, but he doesn’t let go. Kurt’s arms are wrapped around his shoulders and Blaine nuzzles into the hollow above Kurt’s collarbone, reveling in the safety of his Dom’s embrace.

“Are you going to be fine?” Kurt asks then, tensing a little when he feels Blaine shiver.

“Yeah, I just…” Blaine gulps then and pulls away a little to meet Kurt’s eyes. “I’ll be okay,” he says, determination rushing through him.

He’ll be fine, Kurt won’t be away for too long, Cooper will be around. It’s going to be okay; it’s only a lesson and probably a simple one, since it’s the first. He’ll be _fine_.

“I’m only a phone call away, sweetheart,” Kurt smiles gently and kisses Blaine’s forehead before he moves away and towards the door.

Moments later the front door closes, but Blaine is still rooted to the spot and staring at the solid wood. When a hand lands on his shoulder, he almost jumps, but then his brain reminds him that Cooper has been in the room the whole time.

“Hey baby bro, do you need a minute? Do you need a drink?” Cooper asks.

When Blaine faces him, he can see the way Cooper’s eyes crinkle with a suppressed smile, like he’s trying to hold back laughter.

“Don’t you dare making fun of me, Coop,” Blaine grumbles. “It’s just, we’ve barely been away from each other since we bonded and…”

Blaine waves his hand in a motion that is supposed to explain what he can’t put into words. He notices the flash of understanding in Cooper’s expression, the way his brother’s features soften for a moment.

“There’s a good starting point,” Cooper says then. “The first night after you bonded, you were alone at home, weren’t you?”

It’s not what Blaine expected Cooper to start with. He was waiting for a list of rules for submissives, textbook-style guidelines, a code of behavior. Cooper asking about that night throws Blaine off and he frowns, wondering where the conversation is going.

“Yeah, I was,” he nods a moment later, still confused. “Come on, let’s sit down,” he waves towards the sitting room.

Once Blaine gets to the couch, he curls up in a corner protectively. He knows Cooper’s eyes are on him, but having his knees up by his chin and his arms holding himself curled up is giving him a bit of a sense of security. It’s holding off the slight feeling of fear that this lesson will go the same way the one with Coach Sylvester went. There’s still a small voice at the back of his mind that tells him that he’s not supposed to complain or stand up for himself.

“That can’t have been easy,” Cooper says as he sits down on the other side of the couch. “I can’t imagine having to spend a night away from Tiff and Tim right after bonding. I don’t think I let them out of my sight for longer than five minutes in the first week.”

“I didn’t know I wasn’t supposed to stay alone,” Blaine shrugs, a little bit of the bravado from that first night coming back to him. “It wasn’t such a big deal.”

“It was, bro,” Cooper says with a smile. “Submissives need their Dom’s strength in the early days. It’s why a lot of places have bonding vacation allocations and permission slips in schools for the days after bonding.”

“I don’t think McKinley does,” Blaine says and his eyebrows scrunch together. “At least Figgins didn’t say anything about that. It was all straight into lessons,” he shudders at the memory.

“That’s not okay,” Cooper shakes his head. “You should’ve been given a few days to adjust, had at least one lesson before going back to school.”

“Well, they did set me up with a lesson almost immediately…” Blaine says quietly and with hesitation.

He doesn’t know why he feels like he should be defending the school, not to Cooper. But he’s done plenty of defending like this to their father, so it comes automatically, like something he _needs_ to do. There have been enough arguments about why a public school isn’t the best option for Blaine, and he doesn’t want anyone to think that he was wrong in making that choice after the bullying he went through before his transfer.

“Squirt, you don’t need to do that with me,” Cooper says and leans in closer. “I’m not Dad. I’m not going to tell you that you should have gone to Dalton.”

Blaine’s jaw drops a little at Cooper’s words, because he is pretty sure he didn’t say any of what he was thinking out loud.

“I can’t read your mind,” Cooper laughs. “But I’ve heard enough about your talks with Dad after Sadie Hawkins to know that you had to justify your choice to him over and over.”

“Oh,” Blaine breathes out, then relaxes a little before he speaks again. “I don’t … I _know_ McKinley doesn’t have the best program for subs and Doms. But I didn’t expect it to be an issue, since…”

He shrugs, trying to find words to explain how much of a surprise bonding with Kurt was to him.

“It’s Ohio,” Cooper says and nods. “I can see why you weren’t expecting to find another gay guy, let alone your Dom and your soulmate.”

“Yeah,” Blaine agrees. “I probably wouldn’t have, if Burt hadn’t gotten sick and Kurt hadn’t transferred.”

“But since that’s a non-issue, let’s not dwell on it,” Cooper says after a few moments of silence. “Now, you’re not going to like me much for asking this, but I have to,” he says then, his expression darkening a little. “What were you told in the lesson you had in school?”

“Coop,” Blaine’s voice is quiet but carries a tone of warning. “I don’t… do we have to?”

“I need to know, Blaine,” Cooper replies and shifts a little closer to Blaine, though he doesn’t reach out.

Blaine does notice the way Cooper’s fingers twitch like he wants to touch Blaine. It’s not something either of them are used to, though; their family isn’t big on physical contact. It never has been, really, as far as Blaine remembers, at least not since Blaine was in kindergarten, and definitely not once he started school. Sure, he does remember the occasional hug from his Mom, but with Cooper, physical contact was always restricted to Cooper trying to ruffle Blaine’s carefully gelled hair.

“Please, Blainey,” Cooper breaks the short silence. “If I don’t know what she tried to make you believe, I can’t properly teach you why it’s not true. And why it was wrong of her. What she said clearly had an impact on you.”

“She…” Blaine starts, but then pauses to take a deep breath and to wrap his arms tighter around his legs. “You know some of it already, don’t you?”

“I do, and I promise this is the last time I’ll ask you to repeat it,” Cooper says with a nod.

Blaine sighs heavily and then starts describing the lesson with the coach. His eyes focus on Cooper’s hands as he talks, so he notices how Cooper clenches his fists as Blaine talks. It doesn’t take too long, and then Blaine is finishing, his heart racing as the words resonate with him now that he’s said them out loud in more detail than he ever told Kurt. But he can tell Cooper small things that Kurt -- not being a submissive -- wouldn’t understand completely.

He recalls the immediate reaction to the orders, remembers the way his instinct to obey warred with the knowledge that it wasn’t _his_ Dom giving the orders. He tells Cooper about the fear that came from the reaction, the worry that _any_ Dom might be able to get Blaine to do as the Dom pleases. Finally, Blaine finishes with “and that’s when Kurt walked up to me in the hallway” and looks up at Cooper.

“Give me a sec, Squirt,” Cooper says, and Blaine hears and sees how his brother’s jaw is clenched in anger.

“I’m sorry,” Blaine whispers then and looks down again.

“No, Blaine,” Cooper immediately reacts and moves until he’s next to Blaine.

The warmth from Cooper’s palms against Blaine’s hands is comforting, though not enough to stop Blaine from shivering.

“It’s not you I’m angry at, Blaine,” Cooper says reassuringly. “No Dominant who teaches the way you just described should be in any way responsible for submission classes. It’s why Doms usually don’t teach those, at least unless they’ve been through proper training. Which, from what you said, isn’t something that Coach Sylvester has. Or if she does, it’s ridiculously outdated.”

“Maybe,” Blaine says weakly. “How do I know…”

“Did Kurt in any way make you believe it’s something he would expect from you?” Cooper asks, his voice firm but still somehow gentle.

“No,” Blaine whispers. “But he’s new to this, so…”

“Look, Blaine, I’ve talked to him, I saw how he acts around you,” Cooper says. “I can guarantee you that neither Tiffany nor Tim will teach him to believe that what the coach tried to tell you is acceptable. It’s not. What she’s trying to teach is something that was common in the past, but it’s not required.”

“Okay,” Blaine nods and finally looks at Cooper again.

“Let’s take this from the main thing,” Cooper says. “The kneeling. I could hear in your voice how that affected you.”

“It’s… I don’t really understand that, though,” Blaine interrupts. “Because when she said it, my brain was screaming at me to not do it. It was the reason I almost walked out. But then with Kurt…”

“You feel the urge to kneel anyway?” Cooper asks, and Blaine notices the small smile on his brother’s lips.

“Yeah. I mean, Kurt said he’d never require it from me,” Blaine explains. “But when it’s him, it feels like it’s okay. Like I _want to_.”

“That’s because you’re bound to each other. With the designations and with your soulmate bond.”

“So if we weren’t soulmates…”

“You know people can have a relationship without being soulmates, right?” Cooper asks.

“Yeah, I mean, I know people who didn’t bond yet who are dating,” Blaine nods. “They don’t know their designations yet, either.”

“That’s a whole different ballgame,” Cooper says. “What I mean is a relationship _after_ a bonding, but not with the person someone bonded with. Like after a bond that isn’t followed through on, or after one half of the couple dies.”

Blaine immediately thinks of Burt and of the musings on what would happen now that Kurt and Blaine bonded. Cooper’s reminder that people did have relationships even after losing their soulmate felt reassuring.

“Oh, right,” Blaine nodded. “It’s not really common, though, is it?”

“More common than you’d think,” Cooper said with a grin. “How often would you think to ask a couple if their partner is their soulmate?”

“Oh,” realization swept over Blaine.

It made sense, because no one debated whether a couple was bonded or not, as long as there was no reason to question it. Blaine knows that he’d never think to ask any older couple if they are soulmates, because the assumption is already there, unless he knows of the original soulmate having passed away.

“Submissives have the capacity to follow other Dom’s orders,” Cooper explains. “As you could feel in the lesson with the coach. But the bond, as it strengthens, holds more power than an order from another Dominant. Close your eyes,” he tells Blaine firmly.

The order doesn’t carry the weight of an order from a Dominant, but Blaine’s eyelids lower automatically anyway, his habit of doing what Cooper says ingrained since they were kids.

“Listen to _my_ voice first, then try to imagine what I say in Kurt’s, okay?” Cooper says, and Blaine wants to ask for an explanation of what they’re doing.

Instead of questioning, though, Blaine nods and tries to focus.

“Breathe in, Blaine,” Cooper’s voice reaches Blaine’s ears.

He feels like the words process without him having any control over it. There’s a tiny flicker of wanting to take a breath, but then an immediate rejection of the order -- Blaine’s instinct kicks in, and he holds his breath instead. Then he remembers doing what Cooper told him to and imagines the same words in Kurt’s voice. Immediately after, he feels calmer and gasps as his lungs expand to take in air.

His eyes fly open, and Blaine stares at Cooper, who looks very happy with himself.


End file.
